English Civil war (1135-1154)

With died of the king Henri I {{er}} of England, in 1135, and the usurpation of the throne by Etienne of Blois, a civil war bursts in England and Normandy between its partisans and those of the legitimate and designated heiress Mathilde Emperesse. This conflict lasts all the reign of Etienne and ceases only after the signature of the Traité of Wallingford in 1153.

First steps of the war

At the time of the shipwreck of the White-Nave the November 25th 1120, king Henri Ier loses his only legitimate son, Guillaume known as '' Adelin ''. Its second marriage does not give him any descent.

It then makes recognize his daughter Mathilde, widow of the emperor Henri V like his heiress by all the baron S of England on January 1st 1127. In 1128, it remarie with Geoffroy Plantagenêt, wire of the count d' Anjou and of Maine Foulque V. The king makes renew the oath of the barons the September 8th 1131 and again, the August 2nd 1133. With this date, was born a possible grandson heir, the future Henri II of England, also quoted in the oath.

The following months, Geoffroy of Anjou tries to obtain several castles in the south of the Normandy, initially by claiming them, then by the force, creating animosity in his opposition.

February 1st 1135, Henri I {{er}} of England dies. Initially, a council of Régence is established.

Usurpation

At this point in time, considering that “it is ashamed for so many Christian men of being under the orders of a woman”, the Anglo-Norman barons recognize Etienne of Blois, a grandson of William the Conqueror, Count de Mortain and of Boulogne, Seigneur of Bellême, as king d' Angleterre.

He is rejected with Dover and Canterbury, but he is recognized by the Londoniens. With Winchester, the bishop Henri, his brother, the public opinion rejoins to him and convinces the Chancelier, Guillaume of Bridge-in-the Arche to deliver the castle with the royal treasure to him. The March 22nd 1136, the large ones of the kingdom pay homage to Etienne with the Abbaye of Westminster.

It also obtains the support of the large prelates, Guillaume of Corbeil, Archevêque of Canterbury and Roger de Salisbury, bishop of Salisbury, chancellor and Large Retributive and of the nephews of this last the bishops of Lincoln and Ely. The archbishop of Canterbury crowns the king at the end of December 1135 and the clergy is not long in denouncing the validity of the marriage of Emperesse and Plantagenêt.

The two candidates had called upon the pope Innocent II but this last was prevented by its conflict with the Antipape Anaclet II. It is only the December 11th 1136 which its answer addressed to “Etienne arrives, king d' Angleterre”. Meanwhile, in April 1136 takes place a council with Oxford where king Etienne made of important concessions to the clergy, but it obtains there the recognition of the count Robert de Gloucester, half-brother bastard of Emperesse.

The war in Normandy

Mathilde and Geoffroy are given for priority to take again the Duché of Normandy, close to the Principauté of Angevin. They make recognize their sovereignty on Argentan, Exmes and Domfront and devastate the Norman goods of their adversary, to start with the Comté of Mortain.

But if they hold Sées and Domfront, Angevins have evil to obtain the support of the lords of the Cotentin and in High-Normandy where Galéran IV of Meulan, the Count de Meulan, son-in-law of Etienne, carries out resistance.

Among the partisans of Mathilde, Baudouin de Reviers, lord of Exeter banished of England, control the area of Bricquebec since his Château of Nehou. Mathilde obtains also to the rallying of Réginald de Dunstanville his/her half-brother - and half-brother of Robert de Gloucester - holder of goods in the county of Mortain.

The February 25th 1137, king Etienne unloads in France to pay homage to the king Louis VI for the Duché of Normandy. It is ensured in the passing of devotion of its partisans. In July, a two years truce is signed with Angevins.

However partisans of Emperesse, whose Baudouin de Reviers, Réginald de Dunstanville and Humphrey de Bohun, carry out military operations in the Cotentin which is defended by the Roger Viscount of Saint-Saver and Roger d' Aubigny, in favor of Etienne. D' Aubigny is not long in perishing in a ambush, follow-up shortly after by Roger of Saint-Saver. Its death makes it possible to the partisans of Mathilde to occupy most of Cotentin.

In 1138, Robert de Gloucester takes the party of his/her half-sister. It then controls the castles of Caen and Bayeux, as well as évêché of Bayeux. It brings the Bessin to him. In reaction Galéran IV of Meulan and Guillaume d' Ypres, chief of mercenaries, assisted of a reinforcement of 1000 men belonging to Raoul de Péronne, enter to shift. Angevins are withdrawn in Anjou. The partisans of Etienne go then on Caen, but not being able to take the city, devastate the area.

Finally in 1141 Angevins launch a massive onslaught on the duchy of Normandy, taking the castles of the Teilleul and Saint-Hilaire-of-Harcouët the in the Comté of Mortain, Falaise, Lisieux, invading the Perche and penetrating in the Vexin. At the same time the bishop of Coutances, Algare, sees besieging its places of Coutances and Saint-Lo.

With the capture of Etienne to the of Lincoln the Normandy battles passes to Mathilde and Geoffroy: Verneuil, Nonancourt, etc the April 8th 1141 Mathilde is recognized Dame of the English and Norman the . It sticks the partisans of Etienne such as Geoffrey de Mandeville, of which it recognizes the titles and increases the possessions.

In July 1142, restored on the throne, Etienne unloads in Normandy, meets Plantagenêt with Caen where this last shows to him that the duchy is lost to him. The same year dies the bishop pro-angevin of Bayeux, Richard III of Kent, and its diocese is given to Philippe d' Harcourt, in favor of Etienne. Angevins prohibit the access to its seat to him. With the Archbishop of Rouen, it excommunicates its adversaries and calls some with the Pape.

With its, turn Ranulf de Gernon is not long in betraying Angevins. The latter are however some successes, by taking Carentan or Cherbourg.

The January 19th 1144 Geoffroy Plantagenêt takes Rouen, and the following day is established Duc of Normandy in the Cathédrale. The garrison of the castle goes only three months later. It pays homage to the king Louis VII of France and yields to him even the Château of Gisors.

Geoffroy pacifies Normandy, agrees to leave Philippe Harcourt take possession of évêché sound. In 1147 - 1148, the conflict is re-ignited a time in évêché of Bayeux, but Plantagenêt returns justice to the bishop against his own partisans.

Geoffroy dies little of time after in 1151, and his/her son Henri already Duc of Normandy, became Count d' Anjou and of Maine. The partisans try to benefit from it to raise the county of Mortain, occupying a time the fortress of Teilleul which is taken again to them.

The war in England

One of the first partisans of Mathilde threatened in England east Baudouin de Reviers, which is besieged for three months in its place of Exeter before going.

To Easter 1138, Robert de Gloucester passed to the party of his/her half-sister. Etienne orders the confiscation of the English and Welsh goods of this one, of which the important fortress of Bristol. But the latter is defended by Philippe, oldest son of the count de Gloucester and does not yield. On the contrary the partisans of Mathilde rejoin it in mass. Etienne hesitates to attack Gloucester but is caught some with Hereford which goes.

In August (of the 22 to the 27), Etienne besieges Shrewsbury defended by the nephew of Gloucester, Guillaume FitzAlain. The place holds one week, the commander manages to escape, the garrison passed by the weapons.

On its side, the King d' Écosse, David I {{er}}, cousin of Mathilde tries to intervene but east demolishes with the Bataille of the Standard the August 22nd 1138.

Disorders burst in various counties, in particular in the Kent. Mathilde of Boulogne, wife of Etienne, tries to replace Dover with troops boulonnaises.

Roger de Salisbury and its nephews is stopped the June 24th 1139. Seul Nigel d' Ely manages to escape with his/her concubine, Mathilde de Ramsey and its Roger son the Poor one to take refuge in the fortress of Devize. It ends up going and the three bishops yield their fortresses to the king. By doing this, Etienne alienated the high clergy. With the council of Winchester, the August 22nd 1139, it loses the support of his/her brother Henri of Blois, bishop of Winchester, legate of the pope.

The August 30th Mathilde unloads in England, and agrees to meet its adversary with the castle of Arundel the September 30th or on October 1st. It is a failure. The fight begins again. Etienne takes Malmesbury and South Cerney, but it fails in front of Wallingford and Trowbridge. On its side, Miles of Gloucester, in favor of Mathilde plunders Worcester and the November 7th 1139, Robert de Gloucester seizes Winchester and the royal treasure.

To the end of the year, Ranulf de Gernon, Count de Chester, son-in-law of Gloucester, one of the largest lords still remained neutral, passes to the party of Mathilde. With his/her half-brother Guillaume de Roumare, Count de Lincoln, brother-in-law of Baudouin de Reviers, they seize beginning 1141 the castle of Lincoln. After having made peace with these two men, Etienne, having alerted by the inhabitants of Lincoln of an opening, enters the city with the assistance of the inhabitants and besieges the castle. Ranulf manages to flee to gather reinforcements. The February 2nd 1141, they besiege the city. The battles of Lincoln begins. The combat is bloody in the streets of the city. Etienne refuses to flee and is finally captured.

He is made prisoner with Bristol. The March 3rd 1141, Mathilde proclaims Domina Anglorum , “Lady of the English”. The April 8th, Etienne is deposited with the council of Winchester by his/her brother, Henri of Blois, bishop of Winchester and papal legate. The same day, Mathilde Emperesse is proclaimed Angliae Normanniaeque dominated , “Lady of the English and Norman”.

In June, it leaves to London to be made crown queen. Entered the city the June 24th, its stay is short and surging there. It quickly loses the advantage which its victory with Lincoln had given him, by its particularly arrogant attitude. Indeed, as of its arrival in the city, she immediately asks for the lifting of heavy taxes. The city which underwent many disorders since the beginning of the war of succession, was organized in a common form of to defend oneself in chaos of the time. The Londoners thus see very badly the arrival of a despotic woman requiring their allegiance.

Mathilde is obliged to leave the city in catastrophe and to fold up themselves on Oxford, in front of the rising of the population. The Londoners are not long in accommodating the other Mathilde, of Boulogne, which took the head of the party of Etienne, her husband.

The bishop of Winchester, Henri of Blois, decides once again to change camp and joined the party of his brother, Etienne. Mathilde decides to go to Winchester to force it to make him allegiance again. Mathilde of Boulogne and Guillaume d' Ypres, captain of his army see an opportunity there of taking again the advantage. A battle of width follows which is known today under the name of rout of Winchester.

The September 14th, Mathilde succeeds in fleeing of Winchester whereas its army is besieged there. Its troops are put in rout, and Robert de Gloucester who covers his escape is captured with Stockbridge.

He is slackening on November 1st, n the other hand of the release of Etienne. This last is declared again sovereign of England by a council under direction of Henri of Blois, papal legate, the December 7th 1141. A ceremony of crowning takes place the December 25th with the cathedral of Canterbury to mark the restoration of Etienne on the throne of England.

A truce is signed for the beginning of the year 1142. With the end of the year the king makes pass Ranulf in his camp Etienne In September attacks Oxford where remains Mathilde. The city falls the September 26th, claiming it is found besieged in the castle. She manages to escape and the place goes the December 20th.

The king then hopes to seize the place of Wilton on the line of communication of Angevins. Defendant, Gloucester lays out to with it his forces in March 1143. The king presents himself in front of the city on July 1st and misses little being captured.

In 1153, an arranged battle was awaited between the two camps close to Wallingford. But certain noble wearied this interminable civil war argued on the futility of this conflict without end. The king was convinced and of the negotiations engaged. The king and Henri Plantagenêt, Count d' Anjou and of the Maine, Duc of Normandy discussed, each one on a side of the the Thames, and an agreement on a cease-fire is found.

After the death of Eustace IV of Boulogne wire of the king, enthusiast opposing to any agreement, a major agreement between the two parts was trouvé : the Treated of Wallingford. The king all the more had interest there, that each day passing its capacity became increasingly low whereas that of Henri was reinforced.

At the end of November 1153, a public assembly lords is held with Winchester. Etienne and Henri found themselves there and finally the king recognized the duke for wire, and the duke recognized the king for father. The treaty contained several articles amongst other things ruling, that Etienne would remain on the throne until his death, that he recognized Henri like his heir and legal successor with the throne.

This treaty put an end to 17 years of war. The king took along the duke to London. The news being propagated, the population acclaimed them. King Etienne and his new adoptive son separated, fascinating appointment to perfect each article of their agreement, which was made right before Christmas. The final agreement was signed with the abbey of Westminster, the December 25th 1153.

The king promulgates a royal charter with the beginning of the year 1154. Immediately after, the king and the duke meet again in Oxford where the counts and barons of the kingdom were brought together in assembly. They swear fidelity with the duke Henri and recognize it like successor.

Etienne survives only ten months this treaty, dying the October 25th 1154. Henri II was crowned king d' Angleterre without opposition.

See too

Brother Cadfael , of Ellis Peters whose investigations are during this civil war.
the Pillars of the ground (1990) - (Pillars off the Earth - 1989) of Ken Follett is held during this civil war.

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