Rise of a Dynasty: Unveiling the Plantagenets (Part 2) - The Anarchy
The pivotal moment in history that unfolded after the passing of Henry I in the 12th century, giving birth to what would become known as “the anarchy.” England, a kingdom celebrated for its justice, peace, prosperity, and piety, was now unrecognisably torn asunder, plunged into an abyss of discord, shattered loyalties, and insurrection. It is no wonder it was said this haunting chapter of English history was “a time when Christ and his saints slept”.
Building upon the foundation laid in Part 1 of my blog series, let us journey through the catastrophic events that resulted from the young heir’s demise in 1120.
Lets begin with King Henry I, a monarch known for the peace and prosperity of his reign, was also famous for his prolific illegitimate offspring, boasting a record-breaking count of acknowledged bastard-born children, estimated to be around 20 or 25. This was in staggering contrast to his legitimate offspring, consisting of only two individuals: William the Æthling and Matilda.
As we saw in the first installment of this blog, the heir to the throne had perished in the white ship disaster of 1120, an event that had the potential to cause a major succession crisis. Henry was aware of this and did his best to secure the throne, even to the point of taking a second wife in the hope that she would give him a male heir. The fact is that England had never witnessed a queen regnant before, and there was no precedent for this eventuality.
Matilda, at the tender age of eight, had left England to marry Henry V, future Holy Roman Emperor. Her status was immediately elevated from princess to Empress, a name she would be known as for the remainder of her life. However, in 1125, her husband passed away, and she was summoned back to Normandy by her father. King Henry had arranged another marriage for her, this time to Geoffrey, future Count of Anjou, often referred to as ‘le Bel,’ meaning ‘the fair’ or ‘handsome.’ His nickname, Plantagenet would be adopted by the ruling house of England in future years, and was inspired by a sprig of yellow broom blossom (planta genista) that proudly adorned his hat. This marriage raised eyebrows not only among the Anglo-Norman barons, as Anjou and Normandy were historical rivals, but also with Matilda herself, who, after being married to the Holy Roman Emperor, felt that becoming a mere count’s wife was beneath her. To add to her humiliation, Geoffrey was 11 years her junior, at the time only 15 years of age. Despite it being a rather stormy relationship, Geoffrey remained a staunch supporter of his wife during the civil war that erupted after King Henry died in 1135.
With the hope of a legitimate male heir fading, Henry had no choice but to turn to his daughter as his successor. He nominated Matilda as his heir and, despite some reluctance from his nobility, made his court swear an oath of loyalty to her and her heirs. Sadly, Henry’s death took everyone by surprise, and his nephew Stephen of Blois, with the backing of his brother Henry, Bishop of Winchester, seized the English throne and the Duchy of Normandy, being crowned on December 22, 1135. It is interesting to note that along with all of Henry’s court, Stephen too had sworn to uphold Matilda’s claim to the throne. His rationale for breaking his oath was that the preservation of order throughout the kingdom took precedence over his earlier pledges. Little did he know that the next 18 years would be marked by chaos and turmoil, the polar opposite of the ‘order’ he had hoped to maintain.
The early years of Stephen’s reign painted a vivid tapestry of conflict and turmoil. He found himself entangled in fierce battles with disloyal barons, rebellious Welsh leaders, and ongoing border disputes with the Scots in northern England. Initially, a significant portion of the nobility favoured the idea of a male monarch, believing it to be a wise choice. However, this perception soon eroded as Stephen’s rule revealed his shortcomings. While Stephen possessed a charming personality, he proved to be an ineffective ruler. His indecisiveness, a tendency to make empty threats, and a penchant for pardoning even the most notorious rebels made it challenging for him to command respect. As the Empress Matilda launched her invasion of England in 1139, with the support of her half-brother Robert of Gloucester, many influential nobles abandoned Stephen’s cause, pledging their allegiance to the Empress.
Among the notable defectors was John Fitzgilbert, who had served as Marshal for both King Henry and King Stephen. Disillusioned with Stephen’s leadership and fearing for his own life, Fitzgilbert made a daring move by switching sides and swearing loyalty to Matilda. While holding Newbury Castle for the Empress, the castle came under siege by King Stephen’s forces. Fitzgilbert, requesting time to obtain permission from Matilda to surrender the castle, found himself in a precarious situation. In a bid to ensure his cooperation, he was compelled to leave his five-year-old son, William as surety for his word. In a dramatic twist, Fitzgilbert, instead of complying, used the time to reinforce the castle with essential supplies and weaponry. When Stephen threatened to hang the boy, Fitzgilbert responded with a bold declaration, “Go ahead and hang him; I have the hammer and anvils to forge many more sons.” This incident left observers pondering whether Fitzgilbert was a callous father or a shrewd individual who understood Stephen’s character well enough to believe the king would not execute an innocent child. And the fact remains that he was right; in the end Stephen did release young William, but the episode shed light on Stephen’s leadership flaws. While demonstrating mercy can be admirable, it is not always a desirable trait in a king. A monarch should command respect through a balance of ruthlessness and fairness, and it was becoming increasingly evident that Stephen was falling short of these expectations.As I am writing this, and exploring Stephen’s negative traits, I find myself comparing him with Matilda, who in stark contrast to Stephen exuded an air of imperiousness, some would even deem her cold. The actions of these two vastly different contenders for the throne, together with their totally opposite personalities, I believe, significantly prolonged the battle for the throne.
The clash commenced without either side securing a decisive advantage. Matilda commanded much of the southwest, while Stephen retained control in the south-east. The rest of the country remained under the sway of barons reluctant to align themselves with either side, due to Stephen’s ineptitude and Matilda’s unyielding, almost regal stance. The turning point arrived when Stephen was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, and his following imprisonment at Bristol Castle. An English church council, seizing the moment for peace, declared him deposed and proclaimed Matilda “Lady of the English”. Unfortunately, she was her own worst enemy, and her high-handedness sabotaged her cause. Resenting the support Stephen garnered from Londoners, her attempt to be crowned in the capital was thwarted by hostile crowds, forcing her retreat to Oxford. The tide shifted again as Matilda was compelled to release Stephen in exchange for Robert of Gloucester, her key ally captured at the Rout of Winchester. Stephen, reinvigorated, set out to put an end to the conflict, besieging Oxford, with the intention of starving Matilda out from the safety of the castle. But Matilda, a resolute and tenacious woman, was not one to succumb so easily. Confined within the castle for three months, she and her advisors hatched an audacious plan. Utilising ropes as makeshift ladders, she and only a couple of companions lowered themselves from St George’s Tower. Donning white clothing as camouflage, they orchestrated a daring escape across the frozen landscape, right under Stephen’s sentries’ noses. After a six-mile trek through heavy snow, they were able to reach the safety of Abingdon-Upon-Thames. This valiant escape marked a pivotal moment, prolonging the civil war for another decade, with neither side able to overpower the other.
In the ensuing years, the conflict yielded no clear victors, gradually tapering into a virtual stalemate. By the late 1140’s, the intensity of the fighting had waned. Matilda faced setbacks with the loss of key supporters, namely the death of Robert of Gloucester in 1147 and Brian Fitz Count’s withdrawal from public life and later passing away in 1151. Meanwhile, Stephen struggled to solidify his rule, especially after Geoffrey of Anjou conquered Normandy on behalf of Matilda in 1144. Recognising the likelihood of his son Henry ascending the throne instead of his wife, Geoffrey involved the young heir in governing the family lands on the continent.
In 1147, Henry, at just 14 years old, attempted a daring invasion of England with a mercenary force, but financial constraints led to the mission's failure. Seeking funds from his mother, Matilda refused, expressing anger at his endeavour. Interestingly, it was King Stephen who ultimately paid Henry’s mercenaries, perhaps believing that the youth posed no threat. A year later, Matilda returned to Normandy, resigned to the fact that she would probably never claim the throne herself, and instead working to promote Henry’s claim to the throne. The English nobles, disheartened by the prolonged strife and the prospect of Stephen’s vicious and unpopular son Eustace, inheriting the throne, were seeking alternatives, even making personal treaties and alliances between themselves.
In the final years of the war, Stephen’s attempts to have Eustace crowned while he was still alive, following French tradition, were met with opposition from the church. This argument further eroded Stephen’s relationship with the church, already strained due to disputes over rights and privileges. Henry made subsequent attempts to invade England, but Stephen’s swift actions compelled his return to Normandy. Despite these failures, Henry’s energy and leadership were becoming increasingly apparent. Meanwhile, in 1152, Stephen faced personal tragedy when his beloved queen Matilda of Boulogne passed away, his heart was not only tired of the conflict but it was now irretrievably broken. It was in that same year, that the young Duke of Normandy’s power and prestige soared when he married the enigmatic Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, recently divorced from Louis VII of France. This alliance granted Henry control of the Duchy of Aquitaine, further expanding his territories in France.Returning to England in 1153, Henry began gaining support from many powerful nobles. Following a prolonged siege of Wallingford Castle, a truce was brokered, leading to a private meeting between Stephen and Henry to discuss an end to the war. Eustace’s frustration at the peaceful resolution led to his abrupt departure, seeking more support for a fresh campaign. However, he fell ill and died within a month, conveniently resolving the political tension for a lasting peace. After small bouts of scattered fighting, the two armies eventually met at Winchester, leading to the Treaty of Winchester (often called the Treaty of Wallingford) where Stephen acknowledged Henry as his adopted son and successor, with Henry pledging homage in return. William, Stephen’s remaining son, renounced his claim to the throne in exchange for the security of his lands. The Anarchy officially ended on November 6, 1153, almost 18 years after Henry I’s death. Stephen passed away less than a year later, paving the way for Henry’s coronation as King Henry II of England.
England emerged from a period of chaos, strife, and disorder, witnessing the birth of the Plantagenets, marking the end of a bloody civil war and the dawn of a new era.
If you found this account intriguing, stay tuned for Part 3 of my ‘Rise of a Dynasty - Unveiling the Plantagenets’ series, where we explore the early years and the building of an empire that stretched from the Scottish borders to the foothills of the Pyrenees. Subscribe on our Contact Us page to receive notifications of future blog posts.
Max
Lincoln Castle Photo - © Plantagenet Discoveries, Illuminations of King Stephen and the Empress Matilda Creative Commons/Public Domain
