The biography of King Stephen of England was full of ongoing military conflicts. He is known for the fact that his reign was marked by manifestations of anarchy, civil war, the struggle for the throne with his cousin and rival Matilda. She was also popularly called Mod. We will talk about the crowned ancestors, life and causes of death of King Stephen of England and Queen Maud in our article.
Origin of Stephen
The future king of England, Stephen I, was born into a royal family around 1092 in Blois. His grandfather was the famous William the Conqueror - one of the largest political figures of the 11th century in Europe, the Norman Duke from 1035 and the English king from 1066. He organized and directed the conquest of England by the Normans. Stephen was the son of the daughter of William Adela and Etienne II, Count of Blois.
His uncle was William's youngest son, Adela’s brother, Henry I, just like his father, the former Duke of Normandy and the king of England. He had the nickname Bocklerc, which means "well-educated," because, according to legend, he was distinguished by his scholarship. Henry I became famous for having restored the Anglo-Norman monarchy and carried out a number of administrative and financial reforms.
Some dates and biography facts
The years of life of King Stephen of England 1092 (1096) - 1154. He became the English king in 1135 and was until his death, although he had to constantly fight for the throne. He was also called "King of England Stephen of Blois," since he was Count of Blois by father. Having married in 1125 Matilda, who was the daughter and heiress of Eustache of Boulogne, he also became the Earl of Boulogne, acquiring thanks to this marriage enormous wealth and vast possessions.
After the death of King Henry I of Bocklerc, England, Stephen illegally seized the throne, which led to a war between him and the daughter of Henry I, Empress Matilda, who in her first marriage was the wife of Henry V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. This struggle lasted throughout the reign of Stephen.
Stefan becomes king
Stefan Bloisky, before ascending the throne, was a generous, brave man, had an affectionate disposition and was favored by the Normans. As soon as he learned about the death of Uncle Henry I, Stephen went to England, where he was elected king. It should be noted that shortly before this event, high-ranking British nobles made a promise to the daughter of Heinrich Matilda, who at that moment was married to Gottfried Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, the son of the King of Jerusalem, to give her the kingdom.
During the celebration of Easter in Oxford, the new king gathered at the big congress of the nobles. By this time, King Stephen of England was also declared head of the church and king of France. At this congress, he issued a letter confirming the ancient rights and privileges of the clergy and barons, as well as giving some concessions to the people, in comparison with the innovations that were made by his predecessor on the English throne.
The deceptive ease of victory
The ease that was inherent in the conquest of the throne by Stephen at the first stage was explained by the fact that the English and Norman nobility were strongly oppressed by Henry I. She wanted changes in the nature of government to come, and she also had concerns about the coming to power of a tough Gottfried of Anjou , husband of Matilda. At the same time, nobles respected Stephen's mother, Adele of Norman.
By all the aforementioned favorable circumstances, Stephen was able to boldly and deftly take advantage. However, the difficulties were not long in coming. Until this time, the war brought disaster to the British only by the Scots, who raided the border areas. Now they have added the suffering from anarchy and civil strife associated with the problems of continental states.
Matilda was not going to so easily give up her rights to the English throne. To wage a struggle for power, she did not come to England, but her local supporters engaged her stepbrother Robert of Gloucesterster, who turned out to be a powerful and energetic leader of the opposition, to conduct a civil war. In his possession was the well-fortified large city of Bristol, where he sheltered the enemies of the English king Stephen.
Scottish king David, the uncle of Matilda, who invaded the northern part of England, along the way devastating the surroundings, joined in the hostilities. He wanted to attach these areas to his possessions, and, if successful, and capture the English crown.
“The Battle Under the Banners”
Stephen's position was rather difficult, but at the same time his actions were smart and firm. He used the treasures of his uncle for the recruitment of foreign warriors, declining the clergy to his side. This brought him success in the fight against the English rebels. After pacifying them, he set to work for the Scots.
In 1138, in North Yorkshire, near Northallerton, one of the most important Anglo-Scottish battles took place, which went down in history under the name “Battle under the Banners”, or “Battle of the Standards”. These names are due to the fact that the English side in the center of its positions advanced a chariot with a mast mounted on it, to which were attached banners (banners) with the faces of the saints, as well as a silver vessel with holy gifts inside.
In this battle, King David I, who led the Scottish warriors, suffered a crushing defeat. 11 thousand people were killed on the battlefield, while thousands of others died during the flight. After this, the king of England, Stephen, in Dorgham made peace with the Scots, under which the Northumberland County was given to them in flax possession of David.
The Captivity of Stephen
Meanwhile, rebellions erupted in other parts of the English kingdom, and before the clergy who supported Stephen went over to the side of his enemies. In 1139, Matilda landed on the shore of foggy Albion at the head of a knightly detachment. She settled in fortified Bristol and began military operations against her cousin. Bishop of Winchester rendered tangible help to her, and on her side was the vast majority of barons living in the western and northern regions, the very ones who had previously taken the oath of allegiance to Stephen.
All Normans living in England were divided into two camps. In 1141, Matilda and her supporters suddenly launched an attack on Lincoln, a city located in the east of England. Stefan with an army of mercenaries made an attempt to conquer the city, but was completely defeated, since serious reinforcements arrived in time for the opponents. King Stephen showed courage and heroism in the battle, striking with his sharp ax many enemies, but was hit by a stone blow to the head, falling to the ground. He was captured, shackled, and sent to Bristol.
Coronation of Matilda and further confrontation
After the capture of Stephen, his sister Matilda arrived in Winchester, where she was crowned by the bishop here. Stefan’s recent supporters in large numbers began to move “under the wing” to Matilda. However, the idyll did not last long, with its vengeance, the newly-born queen aroused indignation among her entourage. To the residents of London, she submitted a demand for the payment of huge sums as indemnities, which led to an uprising, as a result of which Matilda was expelled from the capital.
In 1142, during the siege of the castle in Winchester, Robert of Gloucester was captured. In order to free him, Matilda had to give freedom to Stephen. Soon, the latter again received royal power, conquering the northern and central regions of England. As for the rest of the kingdom, it remained in the hands of adherents of Matilda.
Normandy took the oath to Gottfried of Anjou, the husband of Matilda. Further, the stubborn struggle for the throne did not stop for a whole decade, which was the reason for the great devastation of the country, the fall of the people into terrible poverty. However, none of the parties could achieve a tangible advantage.
The conclusion of the world and the death of Stephen
In 1147, Matilda left England, and her brother soon died. The head of the English party was her son, Henry Plantagenet. He, possessing great wealth, gradually “built muscle” on English soil and began to crowd out his opponents. In 1153, under pressure from the barony, the rivals began the negotiation process. Towards the end of the year, an agreement was signed under which Stephen was recognized as king, and Henry as his heir.
In the fall of 1154, the king of England, Stephen, went to the city of Dover to meet with the Earl of Flanders. A number of researchers believe that at that moment Stefan was already sick and was ready to solve inheritance cases. Then he had an upset stomach, after which he died on 10/25/1154. Henry II Plantagenet ascended the throne.