The Anarchy
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The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153 which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the accidental
Near contemporary illustration of the Battle of Lincoln; Stephen (fourth from the right) listens to Baldwin of Clare orating a battle speech (left)
Early 14th-century depiction of Henry I and the sinking of the White Ship off Barfleur in Normandy in 1120. British Library, London.
A 13th-century depiction of the coronation of King Stephen
14th century depiction of King Stephen with a hunting bird
Stephen, King of England
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Stephen, often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154. He was Count of Boulogne jure uxoris from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135
The Anarchy
…to his daughter, Empress Matilda, but was only partially successful in convincing the nobility to support her. On Henry's death in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois seized the throne with the help of his brother Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester. King Stephen's early reign saw fierce fighting with disloyal English…
Stephen in a 12th-century manuscript depicting the Battle of Lincoln
A 14th-century depiction of Stephen's family tree, with his mother Adela at the top, and, left to right, William, Theobald and Stephen
An early 14th-century depiction of the White Ship sinking in 1120