Empress Matilda was the daughter of Henry I.
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 . 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 .