When were women allowed to rule England as Queen?

The first woman to officially rule England as Queen was Mary I, who reigned from 1553 to 1558. However, there were several female rulers before her who held power in their own right, although they did not use the title of Queen. For example, Matilda, daughter of Henry I, was recognized as the rightful heir to the throne in 1126 and ruled for a short time before being overthrown by her cousin Stephen.