The Anarchy: England’s War Of The Two Matildas
Few periods in history have brought women to the fore, to the centre of events, as the Anarchy did in England. From 1135 to 1154, conflict raged when Stephen of Blois usurped the throne that rightfully belonged to his cousin Empress Matilda, widow of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. During the lifetime of King Henry I - Matilda’s father and Stephen’s uncle – Stephen had twice sworn oaths to guarantee the succession for Matilda. But when the time came and King Henry I died on 1 December 1135, Stephen broke those oaths, and had himself crowned King in Westminster Abbey. If he thought Matilda would just accept losing her crown and stay at home with the children, Stephen was sorely mistaken. Pregnant with her third child at the time of her father’s death, Matilda had to bide her time, for a little while. And, as her second husband Geoffrey of Anjou campaigned on her behalf in Normandy, Matilda landed in England in 1138 and her own campaign to claim the crown began. And she nearly won.
A 13th-century depiction of the coronation of King Stephen, by Matthew Paris (Public Domain)
Empress Matilda’s Forces Take Lincoln Castle
The year started well for the Empress. Early in 1141, news reached King Stephen that Ranulf de Gernons, the disgruntled Earl of Chester, had captured Lincoln Castle. Disappointed in his aspirations to Carlisle and Cumberland after they were given to Prince Henry of Scotland, Ranulf had turned his sights on Lincoln Castle, which had once been held by his mother, Lucy of Bolingbroke, Countess of Chester. Countess Lucy had died around 1138, leaving her Lincolnshire lands to her son by her second marriage, William de Roumare, Ranulf’s half-brother. Her lands elsewhere had been left to Ranulf de Gernons, who was the son of her third marriage, to Ranulf le Meschin, Earl of Chester.
It seems that in late 1140 Ranulf and his brother had contrived to gain possession of Lincoln Castle by subterfuge. As the story goes, the two brothers waited until the castle garrison had gone hunting before sending their wives to visit the castellan’s wife. A short while after, Earl Ranulf appeared at the castle gates, wearing no armour and with only three attendants, supposedly to collect his wife and sister-in-law. Once allowed inside, he and his men overpowered the small number of men-at-arms left to guard the castle and opened the gates to his brother. The half-brothers took control of the castle and, with it, the city of Lincoln.
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Sharon Bennett Connolly is the best-selling author of six non-fiction history books, including Heroines of the Medieval World, Silk and the Sword and Women of the Anarchy. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Sharon has studied history academically and just for fun – and has even worked as a tour guide at a castle.
Top Image: A Medieval Mass Battle ( AIGen/ Adobe Stock)