Stephen and matilda the civil war of 1139 53. Stephen and Matilda: Civil War of 1139 2022-10-23
Stephen and matilda the civil war of 1139 53
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Stephen and Matilda were two key figures in the civil war that took place in England from 1139 to 1153, known as the Anarchy. This conflict was characterized by a struggle for the English throne between Stephen, who had seized the crown in 1135 upon the death of his uncle, King Henry I, and Matilda, the daughter of Henry I and the rightful heir to the throne according to the rules of primogeniture.
The conflict between Stephen and Matilda began almost immediately after Henry I's death. Matilda, who was living in Anjou, France at the time, was supported by her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, and her uncle, King David I of Scotland, while Stephen was supported by a number of influential English barons.
Stephen's hold on the throne was tenuous at best, as many of the English nobles were unhappy with his rule and believed that Matilda had a stronger claim to the throne. As a result, the country was plunged into a state of civil war, with each side fighting for control of key castles and cities.
The war was marked by a series of military campaigns and battles, with both Stephen and Matilda gaining and losing ground at various points. One of the key turning points in the conflict came in 1141, when Matilda's forces were defeated at the Battle of Lincoln, leading to her capture and imprisonment.
Despite this setback, Matilda's supporters continued to fight on, and in 1153, Stephen was finally forced to agree to the Treaty of Winchester, which recognized Matilda's son, Henry, as the rightful heir to the throne. Stephen retained the crown for the remainder of his life, but upon his death in 1154, Henry was crowned King Henry II, bringing an end to the Anarchy and the civil war between Stephen and Matilda.
Overall, the civil war between Stephen and Matilda had a significant impact on the course of English history, as it led to a period of political instability and weakened the power of the monarchy. It also paved the way for the rise of the Plantagenet dynasty, which would go on to rule England for over 300 years.
Stephen & Matilda : the Civil War of 1139
Why did he agree to his descendants losing the English throne? Where families did lose, it was usually through natural wastage rather than vindictive royal policy, or as a result of new opposition to the crown which brought its own punishment. Perhaps he reflected upon the constant barrage of criticism about how he had gained the throne, by breaking a solemn oath, an act condemned by many churchmen. Worcester, in Stevenson, p. This period of her life, though, had been dominated by a series of pregnancies, one at least of which was difficult. Some built new shacks near the churches so they could flee into them for protection when necessary. On the death of Henry I in 1135, his favourite nephew, Stephen of Blois, son of his sister Adela, hurried to London, where he secured election and coronation within the month. Most good commanders avoided battle so far as possible.
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Stephen and Matilda: Civil War of 1139
Amt, Henry II, p. Just as they had flocked to Stephen in 1136 once he had become king, so now they rushed to join the victors of Lincoln and their friends. Improvements were made in throwing engines for hurling stones and javelins. It was a confirmation of what had already been agreed. Henry of Huntingdon, ed.
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The Peace
Waleran was at any rate a loser in Normandy, and in England his earldom of Worcester was retained by the crown. But again, though a few had joined her cause, most had ignored her; a second rejection by the English nobility. William of Malmesbury, p. King Stephen's Reign 1135—1154. Robert of Torigny, in Stevenson, p. Amt, Henry II, p.
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The Anarchy
Henry I's daughter Matilda invaded England in 1139 to claim the throne, and the country was plunged into civil war. She had been persuaded to come to England and take her chance. But elsewhere, many places saw little of the fighting; some counties may have escaped altogether, others saw at the worst, intermittent conflict. Robert of Torigny, in Stevenson, p. With very few exceptions they had kept their family lands. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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Stephen and Matilda (r. 1135
King Stephen's reign 1135—1154. Robert fought bravely, but was captured by the mercenaries of William of Warenne, Earl of Surrey, and sent back to be imprisoned in Rochester Castle under the guard of William of Ypres. The king built throwing engines and set up a blockade. It must be said that medieval lieutenants and subordinates had much the same fears. However, the evidence does not show this. It is now a commonplace to point out that medieval commanders normally tried to avoid battle, largely because of the potentially enormous penalties of defeat. There were earthwork castles without mottes, castles with two mottes, castles with two or more baileys and so on.
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Stephen and Matilda : the civil war of 1139
Lieber-mann, Ungedruckte Anglo-Normannische Geschichtsquellern, Strasbourg, 1879, p. Roger rebelled but was persuaded to submit by his relative, Gilbert Foliot. For example, in a war of conquest, one needed to establish firm authority over a region, and castles were extremely useful for that, defending against a hostile local population, and giving a secure base to conquering troops. The nearest neighbours were usually the most despised. That they proved inaccurate in their forecasts, we only know with hindsight.
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matilda page
The Reign of Stephen: Kingship, Warfare and Government in Twelfth-Century England. William of Malmesbury, p. We do not know when the trebuchet was first introduced, but it may just have been at this time; certainly already men were interested in being able to throw heavier stones, further and with more force. He had then gone into exile and become a mercenary captain in the employ of King Stephen, soon recognized as his main military lieutenant. We also have some facts and figures about damage done to churches and monasteries.
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War
Gervase, Opera, i, pp. An earlier dig had established that it had been an Anglo-Saxon settlement, and Domesday Book shows that there had been some destruction of dwellings for the building of the castle. The clashes of that century did not heal easily, and left wounds which were eventually reopened in a new major struggle between the monarchies in the Hundred Years War. Geoffrey de Mandeville, the castellan of the Tower of London, was another early convert back to the royal cause. Henry had not won a war, but he had survived one, and was there for all to contemplate — a young ambitious, energetic man contrasted with the ageing monarch.
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Matilda’s Opportunity
William of Malmesbury, p. Stephen's throne was still disputed. Her partner in this dangerous project was William of Ypres, who showed that his attachment to the royal cause was greater than that of a mere mercenary captain, which is the manner in which he is usually depicted. THE OPENING OF THE WAR Robert seems to have been disappointed in the number of men who came out in open support. The royalists had to accept that it was going to be difficult to capture the main bases at Bristol and Gloucester, and even the Angevin outpost at Wallingford had proved impossible to take. No one in this age was ignorant of warfare in the East and of the crusades. As a result, Queen Matilda despaired of gaining anything by diplomacy, and sought to achieve what she could through war.
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