Empress Matilda was the daughter of a man.
Empress Matilda . The daughter of King Henry I of England , she moved to Germany as a child when she married the future Holy Roman Emperor Henry V . Meanwhile , Matilda 's younger brother , William Adelin , died in the White Ship disaster of 1120 , leaving England facing a potential succession crisis . The throne was instead taken by Matilda 's cousin Stephen of Blois , who enjoyed the backing of the English Church .