Stephen's reign was one of the darkest periods of English history. He had promised Henry I that he would support the king's daughter, Matilda, as the rightful heir to the English throne, but when Henry dies in December 1135 he broke his promise and quickly made himself king. Like many of the nobles, he was unwilling to yield the crown to a woman. Civil wars and the battle for the English Crown dominated his reign, and this fascinating book examines the conflict between Stephen and his cousin. The campaigns, battles and sieges of England's first civil war are explored, including the two major battles at the Standard adn Lincoln, which show that Stephen always held more ground than his opponents and was mostly on the offensive. The two sides finally reached a compromise, after 14 years, with the Treaty of Wallingford - Stephen would rule unopposed until his death but the throne would then pass to Henry of Anjou, Matilda's son. Full of colourful characters, this is a fascinating story of rivalry for the English throne which throws new light on a neglected aspect of Stephen's reign.

About the Author
Jim Bradbury taught history at Brunel University College before taking early retirement to devote himself to writing. He has written widely on medieval military history including 'The Medieval Archer', 'The Medieval Siege' and 'The Battle of Hastings' (new to paperback format edition in June 2005).


Book Information
ISBN 9780750937931
Author Jim Bradbury
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint The History Press Ltd
Publisher The History Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 330g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 127mm * 10mm