King StephenThe reign of King Stephen (1135-54) has usually been seen as uniquely disasterous in the history of the medieval England -- a counrty riven by a civil war between Stephen and his first cousin, the Empress Matilda, and by an anarchy during which overmighty barons laid waste the country and 'Christ and his saints slept'. Donald Matthew challenges this picture. By questioning such melodramatic assumptions, and by looking clearly at what can and cannot be known about Stephen, he brings new light to both the king and his reign. He shows that much of what has been written about Stephen has been based on the selective use of the testimony of hostile witnesses, and has been shot through by wishful thinking or by the political or historical prejudices of the day. King Stephen is an important, well-written and timely reinterpretation of the crisis of Norman government. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abbot accepted affairs Anarchy Angevin Anglo-Norman archbishop authority baronage barons battle bishop Bristol brother Canterbury castles charters Chester chroniclers church claims clergy clerical coins committed contemporary crown David death dispute duke earl earldom ecclesiastical empress enemies England English history Eustace evidence exchequer expected favour feudal Foliot France Geoffrey Geoffrey de Mandeville Geoffrey of Anjou Gervase of Canterbury Gesta Gloucester's heir Henry I's Henry of Anjou Henry of Winchester Henry's historians Huntingdon II's interests King Stephen king's kingdom lands laymen legate Lincoln London lords lordship Malmesbury Mandeville Matilda medieval military modern monks Norman Normandy oaths Oxford papal party peace Pipe Roll political pope problems R. H. C. Davis Ranulf recognised responsibility Robert of Gloucester Roger royal RRAN ruler Salisbury secular settlement shire situation society Stephen's kingship Stephen's reign succession surviving Theobald troubles twelfth century Waleran Wallingford William William of Malmesbury Worcester writers