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Encyclopedia > Stephen of England
Stephen
King of the English, Duke of the Normans
Image:Stephen.jpg
Reign 22 December 113525 October 1154
Coronation 26 December 1135
Born c. 1096
Blois
Died 25 October 1154
Dover
Buried Faversham Abbey, Faversham, England
Predecessor Henry I (1135)
Empress Matilda (1141)
Successor Empress Matilda (1141)
Henry II (1154)
Consort Matilda of Boulogne (11051152)
Issue Eustace IV (c. 11301153)
William of Blois (c. 11371159)
Marie of Boulogne (d. 1182)
Royal House Norman
Father Stephen, Count of Blois
(c. 1045-1102)
Mother Adela of Normandy (c. 10621138)

Stephen (c.109625 October 1154), was the last Norman King of England. He was the Count of Boulogne by marriage, and reigned from 1135 to 1154, when he was succeeded by his cousin Henry II, the first of the Angevin or Plantagenet Kings. Image File history File links Stephen. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 361st in leap years. ... Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... Events Bernhard becomes Bishop of Brandenburg First documented teaching at the University of Oxford Beginning of the Peoples Crusade, the German Crusade, and the First Crusade Vital I Michele is Doge of Venice Peter I, King of Aragon, conquers Huesca Phayao, now a province of Thailand, is founded as... Blois is a city in France, the préfecture (capital) city of the Loir-et-Cher département, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... Arms of Dover Borough Council This article is about the English port. ... Faversham Abbey was a monastery immediately to the north-east of the town of Faversham, England and was founded by King Stephen and his queen Matilda in 1147. ... Faversham is a town in Kent, England, in the district of Swale, roughly halfway between Sittingbourne and Canterbury. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2006 estimate... Henry I (circa 1068 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and the first born in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. ... Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... Empress Matilda (February, 1101 — September 10, 1167; Saxon form Maud or Maude) — was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ... Events February 2 - Battle of Lincoln. ... Empress Matilda (February, 1101 — September 10, 1167; Saxon form Maud or Maude) — was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ... Events February 2 - Battle of Lincoln. ... Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Events Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor deposed by his son, Henry V Tamna kingdom annexed by Korean Goryeo Dynasty. ... Events March 4 - Frederick I Barbarossa is elected King of the Germans Eleanor of Aquitaine has her marriage to Louis VII annulled May 18 - Eleanor of Aquitaine marries Henry of Anjou Church of Ireland acknowledges Popes authority Almohad Dynasty conquers Algeria Establishment of the archbishopric of Nidaros (Trondheim), Norway... Eustace IV (c. ... Events February 13 - Innocent II is elected pope An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II. Innocent flees to France and Anacletus crowns Roger King. ... Events January 6 - Henry of Anjou arrives in England. ... William of Blois (c. ... // Groups BL1137 is the (now defunct) Unix group at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ where Unix and C were invented. ... In the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinals are given the right of election of the Pope. ... Marie of Boulogne was the Countess of Boulogne from 1159 to 1170. ... Events Canute VI crowned king of Denmark. ... The Norman dynasty is a series of four monarchs, who ruled England from the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, until 1154. ... Stephen II Henry (c. ... Events Emperor Go-Reizei ascends the throne of Japan. ... Events Valencia is captured by the Almoravids. ... Adela of Blois (c. ... Events Founding of Marrakech The Almoravids overrun Morocco and establish a kingdom from Spain to Senegal. ... Events Robert Warelwast becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... Events Bernhard becomes Bishop of Brandenburg First documented teaching at the University of Oxford Beginning of the Peoples Crusade, the German Crusade, and the First Crusade Vital I Michele is Doge of Venice Peter I, King of Aragon, conquers Huesca Phayao, now a province of Thailand, is founded as... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of some of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely: England (united with Wales from 1536) up to 1707; Scotland up to 1707; The Kingdom of Great Britain... Boulogne-sur-Mer became the centre of the County of Boulogne in the 9th century. ... Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... Angevin (IPA: ) is the name applied to the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Kingdom of France, as well as to the residents of Angers. ... Angevin is the name applied to two distinct medieval dynasties which originated as counts (from 1360, dukes) of the western French province of Anjou (of which angevin is the adjectival form), but later came to rule far greater areas including England, Hungary and Poland (see Angevin Empire). ...

Contents

Early life

Stephen was born at Blouse in France, the son of Stephen, Count of Blois, and Adela (daughter of William the Conqueror). His brothers were Count Theobald II of Champagne and Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester. A blouse A blouse most commonly refers to a womans shirt, although the term is also used for some mens military uniform shirts. ... Stephen II Henry (c. ... The County of Blois was centred on Blois, south of Paris. ... Adela of Blois (c. ... William I of England (c. ... Theobald II of Champagne was Count of Champagne from 1125 to 1152. ... Henry of Blois (1111-1171) was bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. ... Arms of the Bishop of Winchester The diocese of Winchester is one of the oldest and most important in England. ...


Stephen was sent to be reared at the English court of his uncle, King Henry I, in 1106. He became Count of Mortain in about 1115, and married Matilda, daughter of the Count of Boulogne, in about 1125, who shortly after became Countess of Boulogne. Stephen became joint ruler in 1128. In 1150 he ceased to co-rule, and in 1151, the County was given to his son, Eustace IV. When Eustace died childless, Stephen's next living son, William inherited the territory. Henry I (circa 1068 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and the first born in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. ... Events September 28 - Henry I of England defeats his older brother Robert Curthose, duke of Normandy, at the Battle of Tinchebrai, and imprisons him in Cardiff Castle; Edgar Atheling and William Clito are also taken prisoner. ... The County of Mortain was a medieval county in France centered on the town of Mortain. ... Events Clairvaux Abbey is founded by St. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Boulogne-sur-Mer became the centre of the County of Boulogne in the 9th century. ... Events May 23 - Lothair of Saxony becomes Holy Roman Emperor on the death of Henry V. War ends between Toulouse and Provence. ... Pope Honorius II recognizes and confirms the Order of the Knights Templar. ... Events Åhus, Sweden gains city privileges City of Airdrie, Scotland founded King Sverker I of Sweden is deposed and succeeded by Eric IX of Sweden. ... Events Ghazni is burned by the princes of Ghur Geoffrey of Anjou dies, and succeeded by his son Henry, aged 18. ... Eustace IV (c. ... William of Blois (c. ...


Seizes throne of England

Before the death of King Henry I of England in 1135, the majority of the barons of England swore to support Henry's daughter (Empress Matilda, granddaughter of William the Conqueror), and her claim to the throne. However, Stephen (also a grandchild of The Conqueror through his mother and who had been raised at Henry's court) laid claim to the throne. He also claimed his uncle, King Henry, had changed his mind on his deathbed, and named Stephen as his heir. Once Stephen was crowned, he gained the support of the majority of the barons as hell as Pope Innocent II. The first few years of his reign were peaceful, but by 1139 he was seen as weak and indecisive, setting the country up for a civil war, commonly called The Anarchy. Henry I (circa 1068 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and the first born in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. ... Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... Empress Matilda (February, 1101 — September 10, 1167; Saxon form Maud or Maude) — was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ... Pope Innocent II (died September 24, 1143), born Gregorio Papareschi, was Pope from 1130 to 1143, and was probably one of the clergy in personal attendance on the antipope Clement III (Guibert of Ravenna). ... July 26, Independence of Portugal from the Kingdom of León and Castile declared after the Battle of Ourique against the Almoravids lead by Ali ibn Yusuf: Prince Afonso Henriques becomes Afonso I, King of Portugal, after assembling the first assembly of the estates-general of Portugal at Lamego, where... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight against each other for the control of political power. ... The Anarchy in English history commonly names the period of civil war and unsettled government that occurred during the reign (1135–1154) of King Stephen of England. ...


Stephen had many traits that made him seem superficially fit for kingship: his high birth, his descent from the Conqueror, his handsomeness, his bravery and his good nature. But he possessed none of the ruthlessness necessary for the ruthless times he lived in. An unfavourable thumbnail sketch of him is given by Walter Map (who wrote during the reign of Matilda's son Henry II): "A man of a certain age, remarkably hard-working but otherwise a nonentity [idiota] or perhaps rather inclined to evil."[1] Walter Map (fl. ...


The reign of Stephen was indeed a turbulent period, to some degree an overflow of struggles for supremacy amongst barons in Normandy. But he retained the support of the majority of English barons throughout his reign and, importantly, the citizens of London. Contemporary records are slight, being mainly in the form of charters which are often difficult to date precisely, and, more significantly, chronicles whose authors were, in most cases, directly or indirectly at the behest of Robert of Gloucester, the principal rebel. It was these who presented Bishop Henry of Winchester as an opponent of his brother Stephen; but since the kingship of Stephen was supported by Innocent II, and Henry was Papal Legate, some skepticism is appropriate. A reassessment of the reign is due but far from easy. Henry of Blois[1] (1101 – 1171) was Abbot of Glastonbury from 1126 and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. ...


War with Matilda

Stephen faced the forces of Empress Matilda at several locations including the Battle of Lincoln and the Battle of Beverston Castle. Bad omens haunted him before the Battle of Lincoln (2 February 1141). Stephen was facing his rebellious barons Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (the Empress' illegitimate half-brother) and Ranulph, the Earl of Chester. He fought so bravely in the battle that his battle-axe shattered. He drew a sword and continued fighting until it broke as well, as he was captured by a knight named William de Cahaignes (a relative of Ranulph, ancestor of the Keynes family including John Maynard Keynes, the well known economist). Stephen was defeated and he was brought before his cousin, the Empress Matilda. Empress Matilda (February, 1101 — September 10, 1167; Saxon form Maud or Maude) — was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ... Combatants Blesevin (Royal) Angevin Commanders King Stephen of England Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown Battle of Lincoln or First Battle of Lincoln occurred on 2 February 1141. ... Beverston Castle south tower of western range Beverston Castle, also known as Beverstone Castle, was originally constructed as a medieval stone fortress and is situated in the village of Beverston, Gloucestershire, England. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 2 - Battle of Lincoln. ... Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (c. ... Ranulf II, inherited his palatine earldom in 1128, upon the death of his father, aged 28. ... The Keynes (pronounced [] - kānz / kAnze) family is a prominent English family that has included notable economists, writers, and actors. ... John Maynard Keynes (right) and Harry Dexter White at the Bretton Woods Conference John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes, CB (pronounced cains, IPA ) (5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946) was a British economist whose ideas, called Keynesian economics, had a major impact on modern economic and political theory as well... Empress Matilda (February, 1101 — September 10, 1167; Saxon form Maud or Maude) — was the daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England. ...

English Royalty
House of Normandy
Stephen
   Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne
   William, Count of Boulogne
   Marie, Countess of Boulogne

Stephen was imprisoned at Bristol, but his wife, the Countess Matilda, kept faith, and the Empress was soon forced out of London. With the capture of her most able lieutenant, the Earl of Gloucester, Matilda was eventually obliged to release Stephen from captivity, and he was restored to the throne in November of the same year. In December 1142, the Empress was besieged at Oxford, but she managed to escape across the snow to Wallingford Castle, held by her supporter Brien FitzCount. The British monarch or Sovereign is the head of state of the United Kingdom and in the British overseas territories. ... Norman conquests in red. ... Eustace IV (c. ... William of Blois (c. ... Marie of Boulogne was the Countess of Boulogne from 1159 to 1170. ... View from Cumberland Basin of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Sutoku, emperor of Japan Emperor Konoe ascends to the throne of Japan Henry the Lion becomes Duke of Saxony Births Farid od-Din Mohammad ebn Ebrahim Attar, Persian mystical poet (died 1220) Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy (died 1192) Bornin1142, a GameFAQs user... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wallingford Castle 1913. ... Brien FitzCount was the Lord of Wallingford and Baron Abergavenny, and a staunch supporter of the Empress Matilda during the Anarchy. ...


In 1147, Empress Matilda's adolescent son, Henry (the eventual King Henry II), decided to assist in the war effort by raising a small army of mercenaries and invading England. Rumours of this army's size terrified Stephen's retainers, although in truth the force was very small. Having been defeated twice in battle, and with no money to pay his mercenaries, the young Henry appealed to his uncle Robert for aid but was turned away. Desperately, and in secret, the boy then asked Stephen for help. According to the Gesta Stephani, "On receiving the message, the king...hearkened to the young man..." and bestowed upon him money and other support. Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (c. ... Deeds of King Stephen or Acts of Stephen or Gesta Stephani is a 12th century English history by an anonymous author. ...


Recognises Henry as his heir and dies

Stephen maintained his precarious hold on the throne for the remainder of his lifetime. However, after a military standoff at Wallingford with Henry, and following the death of his son and heir, Eustace, in 1153, he was persuaded to reach a compromise with Empress Matilda (known as the Treaty of Wallingford or Winchester), whereby her son would succeed Stephen on the English throne as King Henry II. Map sources for Wallingford at grid reference SU6089 Wallingford is a small town in Oxfordshire in southern England. ... Eustace IV (c. ... Events January 6 - Henry of Anjou arrives in England. ... The Treaty of Wallingford of 1153, also known as the Treaty of Winchester, effectively ended The Anarchy, a dispute between Empress Matilda and her cousin Stephen of England over the English crown. ...


Stephen died in Dover, at Dover Priory, and was buried in Faversham Abbey, which he had founded with Countess Matilda in 1147. Arms of Dover Borough Council This article is about the English port. ... The Priory of St. ... Faversham Abbey was a monastery immediately to the north-east of the town of Faversham, England and was founded by King Stephen and his queen Matilda in 1147. ... Events King Afonso I of Portugal and the Crusaders capture Lisbon from Muslims First written mention of Moscow. ...


Besides Eustace, Stephen and Matilda had two other sons, Baldwin (d. before 1135), and William of Blois (Count of Mortain and Boulogne, and Earl of Surrey or Warenne). They also had two daughters, Matilda and Marie of Boulogne. In addition to these children, Stephen fathered at least three illegitimate children, one of whom, Gervase, became Abbot of Westminster. Events January - Byland Abbey founded Stephen of Blois succeeds King Henry I. Empress Maud, daughter of Henry I and widow of Henry V opposed Stephen and claims the throne as her own Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the Normans at Crug Mawr. ... William of Blois (c. ... Mortain is a small town and commune in the Manche département, France. ... Arms of the Warrens of Surrey The Earldom of Surrey was first created in 1088 for William de Warenne. ... Marie of Boulogne was the Countess of Boulogne from 1159 to 1170. ... Illegitimacy was a term in common usage for the condition of being born of parents who are not validly married to one another; the legal term is bastardy. ...


The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (the Peterborough Chronicle, second continuation) provides a moving and succinct appraisal of Stephen's reign: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals narrating the history of the Anglo-Saxons and their settlement in Great Britain. ... The Peterborough Chronicle (also called The Laud Manuscript) is one of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles that contains unique information about the history of England after the Norman Conquest. ...

"In the days of this King there was nothing but strife, evil, and robbery, for quickly the great men who were traitors rose against him. When the traitors saw that Stephen was a good-humoured, kindly, and easy-going man who inflicted no punishment, then they committed all manner of horrible crimes . . . And so it lasted for nineteen years while Stephen was King, till the land was all undone and darkened with such deeds, and men said openly that Christ and his angels slept".

The monastic author said, of The Anarchy, "this and more we suffered nineteen winters for our sins."


Notes

  1. ^ Walter Map, De nugis curialium 5.6.

Walter Map (fl. ... De Nugis Curialium is the major surviving work of the twelfth century Latin author Walter Map. ...

Sources

Deeds of King Stephen or Acts of Stephen or Gesta Stephani is a 12th century English history by an anonymous author. ... The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals narrating the history of the Anglo-Saxons and their settlement in Great Britain. ...

Bibliography

  • Crouch, David. The Reign of King Stephen, 2000
Stephen of England
House of Blois
Born: 1096
Died: 1154, 25 October
Preceded by
Henry I
King of England
1135–1154
Succeeded by
Henry II
Duke of Normandy
1135–1154
Preceded by
Robert II
Count of Mortain
1121–1135
Succeeded by
Eustace IV
Preceded by
Matilda I
Count of Boulogne
1128–1151
with Matilda I
Direct Ancestry
Stephen of England Stephen II
Count of Blois
Theobald III of Blois
Blois
Gersende of Maine
Maine
Adela of Normandy William I of England
Norman
Matilda of Flanders
Flanders
References
1. Van de Pas, Leo, Genealogics.org (2007).
2. Tompsett, Brian, Directory of Royal Genealogical Data (Hull, UK: University of Hull, 2005).
3. Ross, Kelley L., The Proceedings of the Friesian School (Los Angeles, US: Los Angeles Valley College, 2007).

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