Matilda cover art

Matilda

Empress, Queen, Warrior

 Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Matilda

Written by: Catherine Hanley
Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $22.26

Buy Now for $22.26

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A life of Matilda - empress, skilled military leader, and one of the greatest figures of the English Middle Ages.

Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown - the first woman ever to hold the position - and an able military general.

This new biography explores Matilda's achievements as military and political leader and sets her life and career in full context. Catherine Hanley provides fresh insight into Matilda's campaign to claim the title of queen, her approach to allied kingdoms and rival rulers, and her role in the succession crisis. Hanley highlights how Matilda fought for the throne and argues that although she never sat on it herself, her reward was to see her son become king. Extraordinarily, her line has continued through every single monarch of England or Britain from that time to the present day.

©2019 Catherine Hanley (P)2019 Tantor Biographies & Memoirs Great Britain Medieval Royalty Women England King Tudor British Memoirs

What listeners say about Matilda

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.ca reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for presterjohn1

Redeeming an important figure from the past

Author Catherine Hanley does an excellent job of fleshing out the often-overlooked yet fascinating Matilda, the empress, daughter of a king, lady of the English, rightful queen, mother of a king. The author relies on primary sources and dispenses with myths about her subject and in so doing, shows that she has a handy command of those sources. She sheds light on the writing down by male chroniclers and treaty-writers of Matilda's role in continuing Henry I's dynasty and launching the Plantagenet dynasty. Her story is unfolded and reconstructed through childhood, youth, maturity and seniority. Her role as empress, heiress and mother of a dynasty has been downplayed by history, but never quite forgotten. Her biographer restores her to respect and honour.

The reader, Jennifer M. Dixon, does a good job with the French person and place names and as this is often a stumbling block for readers of history audio books, it deserves praise.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!