Introduction

Dawn, 14th October 1066: After news reached the King that William had landed at Pevensey Bay, Harold and his sadly depleted housecarls raced south to meet William ... In the early morning light, the magnificent destriers grow restless, alert that something was afoot, men quietly slipped into their hauberks and gathered their weapons ... At the first streak of dawn on 14th October William set out to attack Harold's forces ...

Normandy, 25th November 1120: Fifty four years after the Conquest of England the White Ship disaster of 1120 in which another William, this one the heir of Henry I, died would sow the seeds of the troubled period of English history known as The Anarchy ...

The aim of this blog is take the reader through the events of the reign of King Stephen, the last of the Norman Kings who ruled England 1135-54 and the struggles between him and the forces of Matilda, The Empress, the daughter of Henry I and his heir to the throne.

It begins with background information on the formation of the English kingdoms during the Saxon era, then moves onto its unification under the House of Wessex, and eventual invasion by William the Conqueror. A brief account of the life and times of the last Saxon king Harold, William the Conqueror, and William II is given, followed by a look at Henry I in whose reign the seeds of The Anarchy were sown.

Biographies of all the main players beginning with Stephen, Matilda, and Robert of Gloucester among many others will be posted, and posts about daily life in Medieval England and information about Arms, Amour, and Anglo-Norman warfare will also be included to assist the reader to form a complete picture of this era and as a general interest. The blog then gives a detailed account of the reign of King Stephen. Hopefully there will also be some fun posts such as a couple of quizzes for the reader to test out their knowledge and an image gallery of pics to view along the way!