King Stephen of England, often called Stephen of Blois, ruled from 1135 to 1154 CE. His predecessor Henry I of England (r. 1100-1135 CE) had left no male heir and his nominated successor, his daughter Empress Matilda, was not to the liking of many powerful barons who preferred Stephen, the wealthiest man in England and nephew of Henry I. An on-off civil war ensued over the next decade and a half or so between the two sides while the English crown lost control of its territory in Normandy as well as lands to Scotland and the Welsh princes. Stephen was the last of the Norman kings, a line begun by his grandfather William the Conqueror in 1066 CE. He was succeeded by Henry II of England (r. 1154-1189 CE) who was, somewhat ironically given the previous civil war, the son of Matilda and Count Geoffrey 'Plantagenet' of Anjou.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 1097King Stephen of England is born in Blois, France.
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1102Matilda (aka Empress Matilda), daughter of Henry I of England, is born. With no male heir, the king nominates her as his successor.
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c. 1125Future King Stephen of England marries Matilda of Boulogne.
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1135 - 1154Reign of King Stephen of England (aka Stephen of Blois) with a brief interruption in 1141 CE.
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1 Dec 1135Henry I of England dies of natural causes at Saint Denis-le-Fermont in Rouen, Normandy.
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26 Dec 1135Stephen of Blois is crowned king of England in Westminster Abbey.
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1136David I of Scotland invades northern England.
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1137King Stephen of England invades Normandy but is forced to withdraw due to lack of baronial support.
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1138David I of Scotland invades northern England for a second time.
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Apr 1138An uprising by followers of Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester, is quashed by King Stephen of England.
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22 Aug 1138King Stephen of England wins a decisive victory against David I of Scotland near Northallerton in Yorkshire at the battle of the Standard.
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1139King Stephen of England arrests Roger, Bishop of Salisbury on suspicious of treason.
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2 Feb 1141King Stephen of England loses the battle of Lincoln to the Earl of Chester.
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Apr 1141Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester, arrests and imprisons King Stephen of England.
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8 Apr 1141Empress Matilda is elected queen of England at Winchester.
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1 Nov 1141Empress Matilda, then queen, is obliged to release King Stephen of England in exchange for Robert Fitzroy, the Earl of Gloucester’s freedom.
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25 Dec 1141King Stephen of England receives a second coronation, this time in Canterbury Cathedral.
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Dec 1142Empress Matilda is besieged at Oxford, only to escape in a snowstorm by wearing a white cloak.
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1146The Welsh brothers Cadell ap Gruffydd and Maredudd win victories against armies of King Stephen of England.
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1147Death of Robert Fitzroy, Earl of Gloucester, one of the main rivals to King Stephen of England.
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1147Henry of Anjou (future Henry II of England) invades England but runs out of money and is forced to withdraw.
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1149Henry of Anjou (future Henry II of England) attacks the north of England with the assistance of David I of Scotland but is defeated by King Stephen of England.
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1153Henry of Anjou (future Henry II of England) invades England.
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6 Nov 1153King Stephen of England signs with Henry of Anjou (future Henry II of England) the Treaty of Wallingford which recognises Henry as Stephen's heir.
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25 Oct 1154King Stephen of England dies at Dover.
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19 Dec 1154Henry of Anjou is crowned king of England at Westminster Abbey to become Henry II of England.
