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 . 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 . 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 . White Ship . Those who drowned included William Adelin , the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I of England , his half-sister Matilda , and his half-brother Richard .