Stephen of England
Stephen I (6 June 1092 – 25 October 1154) was the King of England from 1135 until his death in 1154. He became the King after the death of his uncle Henry I. Stephen was the King until his own death in Dover, Kent. Stephen was crowned at Westminster Abbey on the 26 December 1135. Stephen is buried at the Clunaic Monastery in Faversham, Kent.
| Stephen I | |
|---|---|
| |
| An artist's depiction of Stephen | |
| King of the English (more...) | |
| First reign | 22 December 1135 – 8 April 1141 |
| Coronation | 26 December 1135 |
| Predecessor | Henry I |
| Successor | Empress Matilda |
| Second reign | 11 November 1141 – 25 October 1154 |
| Predecessor | Empress Matilda |
| Successor | Henry II |
| Duke of Normandy | |
| Reign | 1 December 1135 – 26 July 1144 |
| Predecessor | Henry I |
| Successor | Geoffrey I |
| Spouse | Matilda I of Boulogne
(m. 1125; died 1152) |
| Issue | |
| House | Blois |
| Father | Stephen II, Count of Blois |
| Mother | Adela of Normandy |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Stephen was born in Blois, France, on 6 June 1092. He was the son of Stephen II, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy. His mother, Adela, was the daughter of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders. Stephen married Matilda of Boulogne in about 1125. They had five children. He fought a civil war with Henry I's only daughter, Matilda, from 1139 to 1153. This ended with the Treaty of Wallingford in 1153 after the death of Stephen's son and heir, Eustace IV.
The treaty said that Stephen would be King for the rest of his lifetime. After his death, the throne passed to Henry, son of Matilda, and not Stephen's other son William. Stephen died in Dover, Kent on 25 October 1154, at the age of 62.
Captured
King Stephen was captured after the Battle of Lincoln in April 1141, he was released later and returned to the throne.
Stephen Of England Media
Northern France around the time of Stephen's birth
An early 14th-century depiction of the White Ship sinking in 1120
A 13th-century depiction of the coronation of Stephen, by Matthew Paris
Contemporary depiction of Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, with his bishop's staff and ring
14th century depiction of Stephen with a hunting bird
The stone keep at Goodrich in Herefordshire, an example of the style of fortification slowly beginning to replace wooden motte and bailey castle design by the late 1130s
A silver penny of Prince Henry of Scotland, minted in his own name at Corbridge in Northumberland after his peace deal with Stephen
Stephen's Great Seal
Contemporary depiction of the Empress Matilda
