CHAPTER VI. (Part 2 of 2)
The 1141 Battle of Lincoln left Stephen and Earl Robert of Gloucester imprisoned, while Angevin forces sacked Lincoln, plundering churches and homes and alienating supporters. Negotiations followed: Matilda of Boulogne proposed a prisoner exchange accepted by Countess Mabel of Gloucester, but Robert refused, arguing an earl could not equal a king and demanding all captured followers be included, collapsing the plan. A second proposal making Stephen king and Robert governor failed when the Empress Matilda refused to moderate her crown claim. Matilda of Boulogne’s threat to chain Robert proved empty since Mabel controlled Bristol. By early November 1141, with Matilda’s faction collapsing, the original exchange was agreed: Robert rejoined Matilda at Oxford, Stephen re-entered London to public rejoicing, sympathy swinging back to him due to his misfortunes, the queen’s courage, the sack’s brutality, and Matilda’s coldness.
In early December, Henry of Winchester called a Westminster council, undid his spring council’s recognition of Matilda, re-proclaimed Stephen lawful sovereign, and excommunicated Matilda’s supporters. The clergy’s silence equaled consent, and Henry’s power peaked.
Both sides rested through winter. In spring 1142, Matilda dispatched an embassy to Geoffrey of Anjou begging him to come. Geoffrey would only come if Robert vouched in person. Robert sailed after barons swore to guard Matilda near Oxford. Stephen, ill at Northampton, attacked Wareham; the garrison surrendered. He destroyed Cirencester castle and marched on Oxford.
Oxford was the strategic lynchpin of England. For 11 months Matilda held out from Beaumont palace and Robert of Oilly’s castle. With Robert gone, Stephen took Cirencester, Bampton, and Ratcot. Three days before Michaelmas, he crossed the frozen Isis; his vanguard swam across, driving Angevins back. The royal army set Oxford ablaze, driving survivors into the castle with Matilda.
Stephen blockaded for three months, reducing the garrison to starvation. Robert landed at Wareham with 300–400 troops, besieged Wareham castle to divert Stephen. Stephen ignored pleas; Wareham surrendered after three weeks. Robert took Portland and Lulworth, then summoned Angevin allies to Cirencester. Inside Oxford, supplies were nearly gone; Matilda had lost hope; Robert of Oilly had died; Christmas was days away.
In a daring midnight escape, four (some say six) figures in white robes slid down ropes onto the ice, crossed the frozen river, fooled Stephen’s sentinels (one took them for ghosts or sympathized), fled five miles to Abingdon, took horse, and reached Wallingford under Brian Fitz-Count’s protection. Oxford surrendered; Matilda retreated to Bristol and Gloucester.
Stephen’s last major victory was Wilton on July 1 1143, routing Stephen, who escaped capture. That Christmas, Miles of Hereford was killed by a stray arrow while hunting. In 1144, Ralf of Chester retook Lincoln castle; Hugh Bigod, Turgis of Avranches, and Geoffrey de Mandeville ravaged eastern England; Stephen subdued them while Robert struggled in the west; William of Dover held Cricklade, ravaging the Oxford-Malmesbury lands.
William of Dover died in Palestine; Geoffrey de Mandeville was killed in 1144, followed by Robert of Marmion outside Bath. Philip of Gloucester took Cricklade, hard pressed by Oxford’s garrison; Robert built Farringdon castle, but Stephen besieged it fiercely, forcing surrender. Philip defected to Stephen. Ralf of Chester met Stephen at Stamford, apologized, helped regain Bedford and build Crowmarsh to counter Wallingford, but refused to surrender his castles. At Northampton in 1146, barons tricked and imprisoned Ralf; freed after surrendering Lincoln castle, he resumed rebellion.
Stephen defied superstition by holding a lavish midwinter feast and wearing his crown at Lincoln’s Christmas mass. Meanwhile, Geoffrey conquered Normandy. After Matilda’s 1141 triumph, Geoffrey summoned Norman barons; they asked Theobald of Blois to lead, but he refused, arranging a failed treaty. The Meulan and Leicester earls made peace with Anjou; by 1142, Mortagne, Verneuil, Nonancourt, Lisieux, Falaise, and Roumois fell to Geoffrey.
Learning of Matilda’s defeat, Geoffrey refused to cross to England, instead making Robert help finish Normandy. They took Bastebourg, Tinchebray, Mortain, St. Hilaire, Le Teilleul, Pontorson, and Cérences. Robert returned to England; 9-year-old Henry Fitz-Empress was sent in his place. Geoffrey took Avranches, forced homage, took St-Lô after three days, entered Coutances; only Richard of La Haye resisted at Cherbourg. Geoffrey deployed siege engines; Richard fled by sea, was captured by pirates, and his garrison surrendered. By late 1143, all Normandy south and west of the Seine was Geoffrey’s; Vaudreuil fell soon after; the Pays de Caux made peace. Rouen stood alone; Geoffrey crossed the Seine at Vernon in January 1144, citizens opened gates, and the castle fell on St George’s Day.
Louis VII allied with Geoffrey, taking Driencourt and Lions-la-Forêt. Only Arques held out, defended by William the Monk, killed by a stray arrow in 1145. Louis granted Geoffrey investiture, keeping Gisors.
Geoffrey crushed a rebellion by Robert of Sablé and his brother Elias; defeated and imprisoned Elias at Tours for five years. With Normandy secured, Geoffrey invited Robert to send Henry for education. Henry arrived at Ascensiontide 1147, escorted by Robert as far as Wareham, where Robert died of fever that November. Bereft, Matilda abandoned England in spring 1148, joining Henry in Normandy.
Norgate reconciles the disputed 1141 Lincoln topography: William of Malmesbury (naming the Trent) and Henry of Huntingdon (impassable marsh) point to a Roman ford in the Witham near Brayford; the battle was fought west of the castle, not the traditional northern site, based on her 1881 examination.
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