Stephen Interesting Facts

1 Crowned twice

Stephen was crowned the first time on 22nd December 1135. He was crowned again at Canterbury on Christmas Day in 1141 following Matilda’s brief stint as Queen.

2 Power corrupts

During Stephen’s reign, he briefly lost the Crown to Matilda. As soon as she entered the Tower of London as future Queen, she became arrogant and haughty. She taxed the people immediately and refused to recognise their rights. They didn’t stand for it of course - she was slung out of town without a coronation.

3 Under cover of darkness

Matilda managed to avoid capture by Stephen’s men in Oxford. She wore a white cloak to camouflage her against the snow as she walked across a frozen and treacherous river Thames.

4 Bird man

The picture often used to depict Stephen shows him with a bird returning to his gloved arm. He was known as a keen falconer and skilful hunter.

5 Historical confusion

Historians use the name Maud or the Empress Matilda to avoid confusion with Stephen’s wife who was also named Matilda.

6 Plantagenet Queen

Matilda was the first plantagenet to rule (albeit briefly). The name Plantagenet comes from the latin planta genista. This means sprig of bloom and refers to Geoffrey of Anjou’s habit of wearing some in his hat. Matilda and Geoffrey’s descendents were known as plantagenets

7 Stephen the Softie

The leader of Matilda’s army, John Marshall had a six year old son named William. Stephen’s army took William hostage and threatened to hang him if John broke their peace treaty. John broke the treaty and fought even harder to make Matilda queen. Stephen took the boy to hang him, as he had threatened. If he didn’t hang the boy, his enemies would see him as weak. Stephen kept William and raised him as his own. His act of mercy was indeed ridiculed by his enemies who continued to see him as weak.