King Stephen of England, also known as Stephen of Blois, was the third son of Stephen II, Count of Blois, and Adela of Normandy, making him a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was born in 1097 in Blois, France. In 1125, he married of Boulogne, a great-niece of William the Conqueror, which strengthened his claim to the English throne. Their marriage produced five children, including their son Eustace.
Stephen's reign began in 1135 following the death of his uncle, King Henry I, who had designated his daughter Matilda (also known as Empress Matilda or Maud) as his heir and had secured oaths from the Anglo-Norman barons to support her succession. However, Stephen, a favored nephew of Henry I, seized the opportunity to claim the throne before Matilda could arrive in England, leading to a succession crisis. He was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on 22 December 1135, despite Matilda’s stronger legal claim.
Matilda, the daughter of Henry I and widow of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, had been married to Geoffrey of Anjou in 1128 after her first husband’s death in 1125. Her marriage to Geoffrey, an Angevin, made her unpopular with many Anglo-Norman barons who feared an Angevin presence on the English throne. Nevertheless, she challenged Stephen’s claim, leading to the outbreak of civil war known as The Anarchy, which lasted from 1135 to 1154.
The conflict intensified after Matilda invaded England in 1139, supported by her half-brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester, and other barons opposed to Stephen. A turning point came in February 1141, when Stephen was captured by Matilda’s forces at the Battle of Lincoln and imprisoned. Matilda’s supporters proclaimed her as the ruler of England, and she styled herself as ‘Lady of the English’. However, she faced significant resistance, particularly in London, where citizens rejected her rule due to her perceived aloofness and refusal to adhere to English customs and laws, which contributed to her being booted out despite initial access.
Stephen escaped captivity in February 1141 and returned to England, where he was crowned again at Canterbury Cathedral on 25 December 1141, reaffirming his claim to the throne. His wife, Queen Matilda of Boulogne, played a crucial role during this time, raising an army in Kent to oppose Matilda’s forces and secure Stephen’s restoration. The war continued with neither side achieving a decisive victory, marked by widespread lawlessness, castle-building, and economic instability, including inflation due to debased coinage.
By 1153, the conflict had reached a stalemate. Stephen’s son Eustace had died in 1153, and Stephen faced increasing pressure from Matilda’s son, Henry Plantagenet (later Henry II). On 6 November 1153, the Treaty of Winchester was negotiated, recognizing Henry as Stephen’s heir in exchange for Stephen retaining the throne for the remainder of his life. This agreement effectively ended the civil war.
King Stephen died on 25 October 1154 in Dover, Kent, at the age of 57. Following his death, Henry Plantagenet succeeded him as King Henry II, marking the end of the Norman dynasty and the beginning of the Plantagenet era. Matilda, though never crowned queen, remained influential and retired to Normandy after her son’s accession, where she advised him on governance. She died on 10 September 1167 in Rouen, Normandy.