Stephen of Blois, (1092/6–1154) was King of England from 1135 to his death and Duke of Normandy. His reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda. Stephen narrowly escaped drowning with Henry I's son, William Adelin, in the sinking of the White Ship in 1120 which left the succession of the English throne open to challenge. When Henry I died in 1135, Stephen quickly crossed the English Channel and took the throne.

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Stephen of Blois, (1092/6–1154) was King of England from 1135 to his death, as well as Count of Boulogne from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135 until 1144. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda. Stephen narrowly escaped drowning with Henry I's son, William Adelin, in the sinking of the White Ship in 1120 which left the succession of the English throne open to challenge. When Henry I died in 1135, Stephen quickly crossed the English Channel and with the help of his brother Henry of Blois, a powerful ecclesiastic, took the throne, arguing that the preservation of order across the kingdom took priority over his earlier oaths to support the claim of Henry I's daughter, the Empress Matilda.

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Size: 3450px × 4069px
Location: England, UK
Photo credit: © De Luan / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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