Matilda Edith was a princess born in Scotland. her mother was the Anglo-Saxon Margaret, the sister of Edgar the Aetheling, and her father was the Scottish King Malcolm III, also known as Malcolm Canmore. Edgar and Margaret had fled from the court of William the Conqueror in 1068 and planned to go to Hungary, but their ships were blown off course and landed on the Scottish coast. Malcolm, the Scottish King met Margaret and within a couple of years they were married. The couple had several children including two girls, Matilda and Mary. Matilda was originally known as Edith but when she later became Queen she changed her name. This is why she is known as Matlida Edith, or Edith Matilda. King Malcolm was killed during an invasion of England in 1093 at Alnwick Castle, and a few days later when Margaret learned of her husband's death she died from shock. Civil war broke out in Scotland after Malcolm's death and the Scottish throne was claimed by the King's brother Donald Bane. Margaret's brother Edgar was able to save Malcolm's sons by moving them to England and the English Court of William Rufus for their protection while Matilda and Mary were cared for by their aunt Christina, an abbess at Romsey Abbey. Matilda had several proposals for marriage including Alan Rufus of Brittany who was much older than her. Alan died before the betrothal took place.

In August of 1100 William Rufus died in a hunting accident. When Henry, his younger brother, learnt the news he went straight to Winchester and claimed the English throne for himself. Some supporters of Robert, their elder brother, tried to delay Henry until Robert who was in the Holy Land could return but it was too late. Henry was crowned as King Henry I of England. To strengthen his claim Henry proposed to Matilda Edith who had ties both to Scotland and the old Anglo-Saxon kings. Matilda agreed but as she had spent much of her life as a nun in Romsey Abbey, her aunt declared that this would be illegal. It took a council of ecclesiastics and words from Anselm the Archbishop of Canterbury to belay fears that the marriage would not be legal. Matilda's brother Edgar was then on the Scottish throne and he too gave his consent. Henry and Matilda were married by the end of 1100.

 Matilda Edith (of Scotland) (b.1080? - d.1118)
    +Henry (I, King of England 1100-1135) (b.1068 - d.1135)
        = William (Adelin) (b.1103 - d.1120)
        = Matilda (Empress Maud) (b.1102 - d.1167)
            +Henry (V of Germany) (b.1081 - d.1124)
            +Geoffrey (Plantagenet, 'The Fair', Count of Anjou) (b.1113 - d.1151)
                = Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189) (b.1133 - d.1189)
                |   +Eleanor (of Aquitaine) (b.1122 - d.1204)
                |   |   = William (b.1153 - d.1156)
                |   |   = Henry ('the Young King') (b.1155 - d.1183)
                |   |   = Matilda (of England) (b.1156 - d.1189)
                |   |   = Richard (I, King of England 1189-1199) (b.1157 - d.1199)
                |   |   = Geoffrey (Duke of Brittany) (b.1158 - d.1186)
                |   |   = Eleanor (of England) (b.1162 - d.1214)
                |   |   = Joan (of England, Queen of Sicily) (b.1165 - d.1199)
                |   |   = John (King of England 1199-1216) (b.1167 - d.1216)
                |   +Illegitimate (Henry II)
                |       = Plantagenet, Geoffrey (Archbishop of York)
                |       = Longsword, William
                = Geoffrey (VI of Anjou)
                = William (Count of Paitin) (b.1136 - d.1164)