Empress Matilda was the daughter of the king of England.
Empress Matilda . Meanwhile , Matilda 's younger brother , William Adelin , died in the White Ship disaster of 1120 , leaving England facing a potential succession crisis . On Henry V 's death , Matilda was recalled to Normandy by her father , who arranged for her to marry Geoffrey of Anjou to form an alliance to protect his southern borders . In 1139 Matilda crossed to England to take the kingdom by force , supported by her half-brother , Robert of Gloucester , and her uncle , King David I of Scotland , while Geoffrey focused on conquering Normandy . Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou . By his marriage to the Empress Matilda , daughter and heiress of Henry I of England , Geoffrey had a son , Henry Curtmantle , who succeeded to the English throne as King Henry II ( 1154-1189 ) and was the first of the Plantagenet dynasty to rule England ; the name `` Plantagenet '' was taken from Geoffrey 's epithet . Robert FitzRoy , 1st Earl of Gloucester ( before 1100 -- 31 October 1147 ) ( alias Robert Rufus , Robert de Caen , Robert Consul ) was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England .