Macbeth and the Empress of Germany

As it is so intermingled with characters in his play Macbeth, I’m surprised that Shakespeare didn’t follow Macbeth with what happened to Duncan’s prodigy for they have a story as twisted as anything he could have devised. During their seventeen year stay in England while Macbeth ruled Scotland, the Norman’s invaded. When William the Conqueror died, his son, Henry , after battles and betrayals,  took over as King of England.

In the meantime, Edgar, the Aethling, Harald’s rival for the English throne had gone to Scotland and married the daughter of Macbeth’s successor Malcolm, known as Canmore. From this marriage came a daughter, who had, through her father, direct links to the old English royal line.

Henry decided it would be a good political move to wed this lass and change her name to Matilda.

From that marriage came a son called William and a daughter called Adelaide.

Adelaide married well, to the Emperor of Germany, no less, but the Emperor died and Henry recalled his daughter and renamed her Matilda.

Then, with the White Ship disaster, young William drowned, and Matilda became the only legitimate heir to the English throne. Henry married her off to a Frenchman, Henry of Anjou, nicknamed Plantagenet .

Henry tried to ensure there would be no arguments over the succession when he died and managed to get agreement that Matilda would take over on his death

However, when the old man died, a nephew, Stephen, jumped in and took over as king. It sparked civil war and Malcolm charged down to help, Stephen was captured and locked up.

Shakespeare hinted that Malcolm’s descendants would transform into the Stuarts and we know how headstrong they were, so it is not surprising that ex-Empress Matilda proved too ‘Royal’ and, when Stephen was let out, the aristocracy promptly got rid of Matilda and put Stephen in his place.

Like Duncan, however, Matilda had the last laugh because her son Henry succeeded Stephen as Henry Plantagenet and began that dynasty.

This is one of those tales that make nonsense of the idea of Scottish history and English history separated by a line on a map. I’m sure the girls in my class would have preferred that tale to Magna Carta and Simon de Mountford. I certainly would and I’m surprised it slipped through Walter Scott’s sieve as well. It’s a real blockbuster and better than ‘The Other What’s-her-name Girl’. I'll have a go at this story one of these days.

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