Timeline of Key Dates | Timeline of King Stephen of Key events |
r.1135 - 1154 | Stephen de Blois (King Stephen) seized the English throne throne from his cousin Matilda, who was the rightful heir as the daughter of King Henry I of England. He reigned 1135 - 1154 |
1097 | Stephen was born in 1097, the exact date of birth is unknown |
1119 | Stephen married Queen Matilda of Boulogne (1105 - 1152) |
1120 | Matilda's elder brother William Audelin and heir to the English throne died in a ship wreck |
1127 | In January 1127 King Henry I forced the Barons to swear allegiance to Matilda, afraid of a Civil War breaking out after his death |
1128 | Matilda marries Geoffrey of Anjou and they had three sons Henry, Geoffrey, Count of Nantes and her youngest son was called William |
1136 | Matilda's eldest son, Henry, was born on March 5, 1133 (later, King Henry II of England) |
1135 | King Henry I dies on December 1 |
1135 | Stephen seizes the throne of England on December 22 |
1136 | The civil war between Stephen and Matilda begins. The great supporter of Matilda was Robert Earl of Gloucester, who was an illegitimate son of Henry I and step-brother to Matilda |
1141 | Stephen captured at the Battle of Lincoln in February when Stephen laid siege to Lincoln Castle. He was then imprisoned |
1141 | April - Matilda was claimed Queen of England |
1141 | June - Matilda entered London for her coronation but had no support in London and was forced to flee the city. |
1141 | September 14 - The Rout of Winchester. Stephen's imprisonment was ended when he was exchanged for the Earl of Gloucester who had been captured by Stephen's supporters |
1142 | Matilda continued plotting against Stephen with the aid of Geoffrey de Mandeville |
1143 | September - Stephen arrested Geoffrey de Mandeville taking his lands and making him an outlaw and depriving Matilda of one of her most powerful allies |
1145 | King Stephen captured the castle at Farringdon from Matilda |
1146 | March 1 - Pope Eugenius III issues a Papal Bull for a Second Crusade |
1147 | Robert, Earl of Gloucester died and Matilda gave up her fight for England and she conceded the throne to Stephen |
1147 | Start of the Second Crusade |
1147 | Matilda left England for Normandy and spent the rest of her life in a convent |
1147 | The eldest son of Matilda, Henry, attempted to invade England but he failed |
1149 | Henry again attempted to invade England but he was driven back to Normandy by Stephen |
1153 | Henry once again invaded England and Stephen was forced to agree a truce and that Henry, the son of Matilda, should be heir to the throne of England instead of his own son, Eustace |
1153 | Eustace the son of Stephen was furious and continued the fight but he died suddenly on August 17 |
1154 | November 6 - The Treaty of Wallingford. The agreement of succession of Henry II after Stephen was witnessed by the English Knights Templar. |
1154 | October 25, 1154. Stephen died in Dover, at Dover Priory, and was buried in Faversham Abbey |
1154 | December: Henry the son of Matilda succeeded King Stephen as King Henry II of England |
Timeline of Key Dates | Timeline of King Stephen of Key events |