William I 1066-1087

William the Conquereror, overcame his Saxon rival Harold at the Battle of Hastings, who was killed by a single arrow in the eye.


The Domesday Book, the inventory of the nation still survives providing a picture of life in the 11th Century.
Henry I   1100-1135 




Succeeded his brother William Rufus.  His daughter Matilda was recognised as his heir.

Henry died from food poisoning on on 1 December 1135 having eaten "a surfeit of lampreys" (one of his favourite dishes) at Saint-Denis-en-Lyons (now Lyons-la-Forêt) in Normandy. His remains were sewn into the hide of a bull to preserve them on the journey, and then taken back to England and were buried at Reading Abbey, Berkshire, England. He had founded the Abbey fourteen years before. Following the Protestant Reformation the Abbey was destroyed and no trace of his tomb survives, the probable site being covered by St James' School.

Empress Matilda





Empress Matilda (disputed) Reign April 1141 - November 1141 also known as Matilda of England or Maude (c. 7 February 1102 – 10 September 1167) was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry. Her brother died young in the White ship disaster, leaving Matilda as the last heir from the paternal line of her grandfather William the Conqueror. As a child, Matilda was betrothed and later married to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. From her marriage to Henry, she acquired the title Empress. The couple had no known children. When widowed, she was married to the much younger Geoffrey of Anjou, by whom she became the mother of three sons, the eldest of whom became King Henry II of England. Matilda was the first female ruler of the Kingdom of England. However the length of her effective rule was quite brief — a few months in 1141 — and she was never crowned and failed to consolidate her rule (legally and politically). Because of this she is normally excluded from lists of English monarchs, and her rival (and cousin) Stephen of Blois is routinely listed as monarch for the period 1135-1154. Their warring rivalry for the throne led to years of unrest and civil war in England that have been called The Anarchy. She did secure her inheritance of the Duchy of Normandy — through the military feats of her husband Geoffrey — and she campaigned unstintingly for her oldest son's inheritance, living to see him ascend the throne in 1154.
Stephen  1135-1154



Stephen Stephen 1135-1154 Stephen also known as Stephen of Blois (born 1096 – died 25 October 1154) Stephen seized the throne upon Henry I's death, his reign was was disputed by Matilda, Henry's daughter resulting in prolonged civil unrest until Stephen agreed to Matilda's son,Henry Plantagenet becoming heir.