General Notes

1  NAME Matilda (or Maud) of /Flanders/
2  SOUR S033320
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Jan 17, 2001
1  BIRT
2  DATE 1032
2  PLAC Flanders, Belgium
2  SOUR S033320
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Jan 17, 2001
1  DEAT
2  DATE 3 NOV 1083
2  PLAC Caen, Calvados, France
2  SOUR S033320
3  DATA
4  TEXT Date of Import: Jan 17, 2001


[De La Pole.FTW]

Sources: RC 81, 89, 140, 141; K and Q of Britain; Kraentzler 1062, 1157,
1218, 1241, 1265, 1342, 1346, 1350, 1371; Coe; A. Roots 162, 169; Guizot's
"France"; AIS; Pfafman; Davis.
Duchess of Normandy and Queen of England.
She was the ancestress of English rulers down to the present time (1991).
Two death dates: 2 or 3 Nov. 1083. No mention in all this of a second hubby
as claimed by Kraentzler in line 1371. The chart, source unknown, says William
was her second husband. Her first was Gerbod de Flandre, Advocate of the
Abbey St. Bertin and St. Omer. Their daughter, Gundreda of Chester, married
William de Warenne, First Earl of Surrey. Sile Rice in her novel, The Saxon
Tapestry, says Matilda had a daughter, Gundrada, by an unnamed first husband.
All other sources say Gundred/Gundrada was the daughter of William I, and
birth dates given would so indicate.  Also, referring to Matilda (page 354),
"And her own daughter was the wife of Earl Warenne"--indicating this daughter
was not the daughter of William I.
AIS: Matilda of Flanders, born about 1031, Flandre, Belgium; died 2 Nov.
1083, Caen, France.
K-1350: Mathilde de Frandre, "Maid of Flandre". Born about 1031, Flandre,
Belgium; died 2 Nov. 1082, Caen, Calvados, France.

Source: Kraentzler 1371.
K: Gerbod de Flandre, Advocate of the Abbey St. Bertin and St. Omer.
K. and a chart, source unknown, are the only sources I've seen saying Matilda of
Flanders was married to anyone besides William the Conqueror.

Guizot says:
Matilda, daughter of Baldwin "The Debonnair," one of the most powerful
lords of the day, was "beautiful, well-informed, firm in the faith, a model of
virtue and modesty." And William asked for her hand in marriage. But she
replied, "I would liefer be veiled nun than given in marriage to a bastard."
(The above quotes apparently are from a chronicle of the period, but Guizot
does not name the chronicler).
William was hurt, but he decided he would have to gain more fame and power
before trying again. Guizot says, "Some years later, being firmly established
in Normandy, dreaded by all his neighbors, and already showing some
foreshadowings of his design upon England, he renewed his matrimonial quest in
Flanders, but after so strange a fashion that, in spite of contemporary
testimony, several of the modern historians, in their zeal, even at so distant
a period, for observance of the proprieties, reject as fabulous the story which
is here related on authority of the most detailed account amongst all the
chronicles which contain it."
This chronicle relates: "A little after that Duke William had heard how the
damsel had made answer, he took of his folk, and went privily to Lille, where
the Duke of Flanders and his wife and his daughter then were. He entered into
the hall, and, passing on as if to do some business, went into the countess's
chamber, and there found the damsel daughter of Count Baldwin. Her took her by
the tresses, dragged her round the chamber, trampled her under foot, and did
beat her soundly. Then he strode forth from the chamber, leapt upon his horse,
which was being held for him before the hall, struck in his spurs, and went his
way. At this deed was Count Baldwin much enraged; and when matters had thus
remained a while, Duke William sent once more to Count Baldwin to parley again
of the marriage. The count sounded his daughter on the subject, and she
answered that it pleased her well. So the nuptials took place with very great
joy. And after the aforesaid matters, Count Baldwin, laughing withal, asked his
daughter, wherefore she had so lightly accepted the marriage she had aforetime
so cruelly refused. And she answered that she did not know the duke so well
then as she did now; for, said she, if he had not great heart and high emprise,
he had not been so bold as to dare come and beat me in my father's chamber."
Guizot does not discount this story, noting it is contained in several
chronicles, and he adds, "... as to the ruffianly gallantry employed by William
to win his bride, there is nothing in it very singular, considering the habits
of the time, and we meet with more than one example of adventures if not
exactly similar, at any rate analogous."

[Have found no other reference to this tale elsewhere.]