The Anarchy

In this episode, we explore The Anarchy, the brutal English civil war from 1135 to 1153 sparked by a succession crisis between Empress Matilda and Stephen of Blois. We examine how rival claims to the throne led to years of lawlessness, attrition warfare, unauthorized castles, and devastation across the countryside. We also look at how the Treaty of Wallingford ended the stalemate, allowing Stephen to remain king while naming Matilda’s son, Henry II, as heir and paving the way for the Angevin dynasty.