Skip to content
The British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts · Public domain
Conflict Europe

The Anarchy

1135 CE – 1153 CE · 18 years

A civil war over the English throne between Stephen and Matilda, Henry I's daughter. England descended into chaos as rival barons built unlicensed castles and ravaged the countryside. It ended with the Treaty of Wallingford, securing the throne for Matilda's son Henry II.

Wikipedia

The opening of the article, and a way into the rest of it without leaving the site.

The Anarchy on Wikipedia.

Belligerents

The main peoples, kingdoms and states involved.

  • Empress Matilda (Angevins)
  • King Stephen of Blois

Key moments

Defining events in the The Anarchy.

  1. 1141 Battle of Lincoln
  2. 1141 Rout of Winchester
  3. 1142 Siege of Oxford
  4. 1153 Treaty of Wallingford

Elsewhere in Europe at the time

Records whose own span overlaps this one, found by the same test the canvas draws with. The bar under each card is where it sits inside this one.

See the whole view
Image credits5 pictures from Wikimedia Commons