"When Christ and His Angels Slept" Quiz

Answer: Matilda

Henry's only legitimate son had perished. His daughter, Matilda, the widow of the German emperor, Henry V, was recalled to England and the nobles were required to swear allegiance to her as Henry's heir. Robert of Gloucester was Henry's eldest illegitimate son.

Although the illegitimacy of Henry's father, William the Conqueor, had been no bar to his inheritance, times had apparently changed and Robert was not considered. Robert Curthose, Henry's elder brother, had been imprisoned by Henry and although he had a better claim to the throne than Henry, he died a year before his younger brother. Fulk of Anjou was a prominent French nobleman whose territories adjoined those of Henry.

As a result there was considerable conflict between them. In an effort to make Fulk his ally, Henry had married his son William to Fulk's daughter, Matilda and later married Matilda to Fulk's son Geoffrey.

Answer: He drowned in an accident at sea

William and his entourage as well as his father and his entourage embarked on a trip from Normandy to England. William's group decided to go on a newer and faster ship called the 'White Ship'. Prior to embarkation, passengers and crew became intoxicated. Shortly out of harbour, the inebriated pilot drove the ship onto a rock and it sank.

There was only one survivor, a butcher from Rouen. Ken Follet's book, "The Pillars of the Earth" is based upon this incident.

Answer: William Clito

William Clito was the son of Robert Curthose, Henry I's older brother. Henry had successfully excluded Robert from the English crown and then took Normandy by force of arms. Robert was then imprisoned for the rest of his life. William Clito, as the son of his elder brother, had a better claim to the throne than that of William himself, let alone his children and thereby posed a threat to Henry I as a focus for Henry enemies. William Clito was created Count of Flanders by Louis VI upon the death of the childess Count Charles in 1127. Later that year, William attacked his neighbour Stephen of Boulogne in order to strengthen his borders.

He was killed in a civil uprising in his own county in 1128. William de Sulli, Theobald and Henry of Winchester were Stephen's brothers.

Answer: Geoffrey of Anjou

Geoffrey of Anjou was the son of Fulk of Anjou. Fulk's elder daughter Matilda had married the drowned William and his second daughter Sibyl had married William Clito. Henry I pressured Pope Calixtus II to annul this marriage on the grounds of consanguinity - a somewhat specious argument since the marriage of Fulk's daughter Matilda and William and the later marriage of Henry's daughter Matilda and Geoffrey were related in exactly the same way. Geoffrey of Anjou wore a brush of the broom plant in his hat which gave rise to the dynasty he founded, the Plantagenets.

Answer: His mother was Henry I's sister

Although Stephen's claim was partly based on the notion that a woman could not inherit, his claim was also based on the fact that his mother was the daugher of William I and the sister of Henry I! Although he was the cousin of William, that did not establish a claim. He was not the son of William II.

Answer: Robert of Gloucester

Robert of Gloucester proved the most competent of Matilda's supporters. King David of Scotland, although a staunch supporter, was Matilda's uncle not half-brother. Reginald of Dunstanville, the earl of Cornwall, another half-brother was a supporter but did not have the same military acumen as his half-brother Robert. William of Ypres was no relation and supported Stephen.

Answer: Brother Cadfael

Cadfael came late to the clerical life, having in his early life fought in the Crusades. Hugh Beringar was the local sheriff while Prior Robert and Abbot Rudulfus were two other inhabitants of the abbey. In addition to the Brother Cadfael novels, the series has been made into a television series starring Derek Jacobi as Cadfael.

Answer: False

London consistently supported Stephen during the struggle, although after his capture reluctantly accepted Matilda into the city. One her first acts in London was to impose a tax. Stephen had catered for London's desire for for special status and Matilda wished to reverse that.

Answer: True

After the battle in which Stephen was captured probably by Robert of Gloucester, Matilda's half brother, but possibly by William of Cahagnes, Stephen was confined in the castle at Bristol. In order to prevent his escape, it seems that, at least for some time, Stephen was kept in chains.

Answer: False

Although Geoffrey did lead a force into England early in the campaign, he devoted most of his energies to the capture of Normandy. Ultimately although Stephen fared better in England, the loss of Normandy was a bitter blow since nobles in England frequently held estates in Normandy and did not want to jeopardize that asset.

Answer: False

The marriage between Geoffrey and Matilda was troubled almost from the outset. Matilda, eleven years older than her husband, had been schooled in the arts of politics, while her husband had not. Notwithstanding this turbulent relationship, they had three sons.

In 1151, during the Anarchy, Geoffrey of Anjou and his son Henry (later Henry II of England) visited the court of Louis VII of France in Paris. Gerald of Wales, a chronicler, later contended that Geoffrey had an intimate relationship with Louis VII's Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine although there is no real substantiation of this rumour. (Eleanor was also rumoured, again without substantiation, to have had an incestuous relationship with her uncle Raymond of Poitiers while on Crusade with her husband Louis VII.) Eleanor was later to marry Geoffrey's son Henry.

Answer: Robert of Gloucester

After the rout of Winchester Matilda was able to escape from the city by a feint led by her half brother Robert of Gloucester, who was captured. In that escape she was escorted by Reginald, Earl of Corwall. King David of Scotland, his niece's ally, also was able to escape. In his escape he was taken three times but each time managed to get away.

Answer: False

Henry's role in the struggle is very unclear. As Bishop of Winchester at the time of Henry I's death, he had control of the ancient capital which was still the site of the national treasury. Later he appears to have made a pact with Robert of Gloucester and certainly after the battle of Lincoln had swung into Matilda's camp, swearing an oath never to support Stephen.

After the rout of Winchester, it has been suggested that he provided for an unguarded gate through which Matilda could escape. Back in Stephen's camp he then attempted to convert Robert of Gloucester who had been captured to Stephen's cause. Unsuccessful, he then arranged for the trade of Robert for his imprisoned brother Stephen.

He was instrumental in arranging the peace of 1153-4.

Answer: Eustace

Eustace (can you imagine a king Eustace I?) was the elder of Stephen's sons. William was his second son while Henry and Theobald were Stephen's brothers.

Answer: Henry, Matilda's son, would be Stephen's heir

Whether or not Eustace was to be disinherited has always been unclear. By the time the Treaty of Winchester was signed, Eustace had died but the negotiation of the terms occured before his death. Certainly, however, Stephen's second son lost out. The nobility were required to swear fealty to Henry as heir. Stephen died in 1154.

Answer: All of these

Unlike his uncle Henry I, Stephen did not have the ability to control his vassals. Early in his reign it became apparent, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, that the barons, "had done him homage and sworn him oaths, but they held no troth [truth, fidelity]." (The Peterborough manuscript, which is the only original manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that continues into the 12th century, gives an often graphic description of the appalling sufferings of ordinary people during the Anarchy).

Answer: True

This was a conflict of despoiliation. Strong castles emerged and the barons, in addition to fighting for or against one of the protagonist, took the opportunity to attempt to seize the property of their neighbours.

Answer: All of these

The period is described as the Anarchy. With no strong central control, thieves and robbers abounded, not least among the aristocracy. People became afraid of their neighbours and fled at the sight of strangers. Land, both ecclesiasticl and secular, was plundered. Crops were razed as part of the ongoing conflict. "Wherever the land was tilled, the earth bore no corn, for the land was all ruined with such deeds ..."

Answer: True

An illustration of the self-serving nature of the higher authorities can be found in the fact that Henry of Winchester, Stephen's brother, supported both his brother and swore to support Matilda during this conflict. Few remained loyal to one side or the other throughout the campaign.

Answer: True

Henry II, Matilda's son and Stephen's heir, spent much of this time attempting to undo the damage done during this period. Castles erected during Stephen's 19-year reign were demolished and a strong centralized government was restored. Lawlessness was put down and a more or less uniform system of justice for lay people was established.

Henry II's determination to extend this to the clergy led to conflict between Church and State. Nearly four hundred years later Henry VIII was obsessed with the need to provide a male heir partly because of this conflict.