Empress Matilda was the daughter of the king of England.
Empress Matilda . Matilda returned to Normandy , now in the hands of her husband , in 1148 , leaving her eldest son to continue the campaign in England ; he eventually succeeded to the throne as Henry II in 1154 . Henry II ( 5 March 1133 -- 6 July 1189 ) , also known as Henry Curtmantle ( Court-manteau ) , Henry FitzEmpress or Henry Plantagenet , ruled as Count of Anjou , Count of Maine , Duke of Normandy , Duke of Aquitaine , Count of Nantes , King of England ( 1154 -- 89 ) and Lord of Ireland ; at various times , he also controlled Wales , Scotland and Brittany . Henry was the son of Geoffrey of Anjou and Matilda , daughter of Henry I of England . 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 .