So in case you don't know about the Anarchy it was a long (like really long) civil war between claimants to the English throne. The two were Stephen of Blois, the nephew of the former king, and his daughter the Empress Matilda. She gained the title Empress because she married Henry V, the Holy Roman Empire, giving her the title she gave for herself, Empress. Eventually she would get remarried but kept the title. So the question is, were there any other candidates for her hand in marriage?
A different husband for Empress Matilda?
- Thread starter Enigmajones
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They would be too closely related. Even a second cousin like Charles the Good would have been considered way too closely related, never mind a first cousin like William Clito.
That was one of the main reasons Geoffrey of Anjou was considered; he and Matilda were miraculously not related in any prohibited degree (and therefore none of Henry's political enemies could object to the marriage on those grounds), and it allowed Henry I to recreate the William Adelin/Matilda of Anjou match he'd arranged previously. For Henry to arrange a different marriage for Matilda, said match would need to outweigh the benefits the one with Geoffrey provides. Which means no one closely related to Matilda, and someone who provides as much benefit as easing hostilities with one of Normandy's most aggressive neighbours.
Thierry of Alsace is another possibility, although he was married to Charles the Good's widow after the POD.
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Thierry is another of Matilda's second cousins, so he'd be out too.
It's not particularly likely at this point in time, at least in northern Europe (though if you want to try this sort of thing in Iberia, be my guest). The Papacy is actively trying to extend its influence during this period, both spiritually and materially, and being able to prevent closely-related royals from marrying is one of the ways it's doing that. Henry I also doesn't have the best relationship with the Church (I mean, it's not bad, but it's hardly good, either), so it's not like he's going to have a lot of sway to push a dispensation through anyway.
A dispensation for 3rd or 4th cousins would be one thing, but 2nd cousins and closer would be seen as a non-starter (well, outside of Iberia anyway). Robert II, king of the Franks was practically harangued by the Papacy for trying to marry his 2nd cousin Bertha of Burgundy. Eventually, he had to have it annulled.
What about a POD about Louis VI marrying sooner and having a son the right age to marry Matilda ?
It's not impossible, but I'm not sure what the best way to go about that was - his first marriage if it hadn't been annulled could work here, if a son of Louis's would be worth anything as far as Henry goes.
A king's son should be a good catch, but I'm not sure if a Capet second (or third etc.) son brings all that much for this.
Actually, I was thinking more to the first son, leading to the union of the crowns of France and England.
In these times, long before the rise of nationalism and before the Capet/Plantagenet wars, I don't think that would be a problem.
Anglo-French union? Is that even going to be possible to rule?
It was feudal times. Kings did not rule their entire kingdom themselves anyway.
When? Whole different sets of candidates would be available depending on whether you're referring to her marriage to the emperor or to Geoffrey of Anjou.
Not unless you have a super early POD, as Conan III of Brittany was already married to Matilda's illegitimate half-sister as early as 1113. Conan didn't have any surviving brothers either, so it's not easy to just swap him out with a sibling.
The best match you'll find in Brittany is a son of Stephen count of Tréguier, such as Alan earl of Richmond or one of his brothers. Alan was technically Matilda's third cousin once removed (if they're more closely related than this, I'm not seeing it, but I could be missing something). But this is distant enough where I don't think consanguinity would be too much of an impediment. The real issue would be whether or not King Henry favours the match.
They don't sound like they'd bring much to the marriage as far as Henry's political concerns, although it might be something if all other options fail.
Yet he was able to marry his cousin's widow when affinity was treated like consanguinity so clearly Thierry got dispensation
Sibylla's marriage to William Clito had been annulled before Clito's death, so canonically speaking it had never happened. I don't think there would have been a need for a dispensation in that case, since any affinity had been annulled.