The dynasty had its roots in the civil war that was being fought between two cousins, Stephen and Matilda, the grandchildren of William the Conqueror. It was Stephen who seized the crown, but that wasn't the end of it, for if Matilda couldn't beat him with an army, she could beat him with a wedding, a wedding that would found a dynasty and reduce Stephen's ambitions to dust. In 1128, Matilda married Geoffrey of Anjou, nicknamed "Plantagenet", because he wore a sprig of yellow broom or Planta Genista in his hat. His family emblem was three lions. Along with his money, power and territory Geoffrey gave Matilda something even more important - a son, Henry.


安茹王朝在内战中站稳了脚跟，战斗双方的斯蒂芬和玛蒂尔达是表亲，征服者威廉——亨利一世，玛蒂尔达，阿德拉，斯蒂芬，同为征服者威廉的孙辈。斯蒂芬夺取了王位，但这不是最终结果。尽管玛蒂尔达无法用武力击败他，但她可以用一场婚礼战而胜之。这场婚礼建立了一个王朝，令斯蒂芬的野心灰飞烟灭。1128年，玛蒂尔达嫁给了安茹的杰弗里，他的绰号是"金雀花"，因为他帽子上插了一朵黄色的金雀花。他的家徽是三头狮子，杰弗里不仅给了玛蒂尔达财富，权力与领地，更给了她非常重要的子嗣——亨利。