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by nevermore » Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:26 pm
Neither English nor Normans had ever been ruled by a woman, and the Empress Maude (aka Matilda), as she still called herself, was a proud, disagreeable, ill-tempered woman, whom nobody liked. So her cousin, Stephen de Blois, whose mother Adela had been daughter of William the Conqueror, thought to obtain the crown of England by promising to give everyone what they wished. Stephen, like all the other barons, had sworn that Maude ( Matilda ) should reign. The people knew he was a kindly, gracious sort of person, and greatly preferred Stephen to Matilda. Stephen was therefore crowned; and the Norman barons believed they would have greater power. The barons built strong castles, and hired men, with whom they made war upon each other, robbed one another's tenants and generally terrorised the people of England. Stephen tried to stop these cruelties; but then the barons turned on him, told him he was not their proper king, and invited Maude (Matilda) to come and be crowned in his stead. Stephen was taken prisoner at a battle at Lincoln. Stephen's friends could not leave him in prison for life; and so they went on fighting for him, while more and more of the English joined them and Matilda eventually conceded the throne.
Thanks for bringing it up Dave.
