The Anarchy of King Stephen’s Reign

The reign of King Stephen (1135-54) is famous as a period of weak government, when Stephen and his rival Empress Matilda contended for power in a succession dispute. During his reign, Stephen lost control over Normandy, the Welsh marches, and much of the North. Even though Stephen remained king for his lifetime, leading churchmen and laymen negotiated a settlement whereby the crown passed to the Empress’s son, the future Henry II. This volume by leading scholars is a study of medieval kingship at its most vulnerable and explains how the English monarchy was able to survive the anarchy of King Stephen’s reign.