King Stephen

by R.H.C. Davis

Publication of the recent collection of the charters of Stephen's reign has led to a reconsideration of the conclusions of past historians, and makes possible a reinterpretation of the evidence and the chronology. In contrast to the view of many historians, the author sees Stephen, not as a mild man, but as vain and shifty. He shows that the combination of these qualities was one of the causes of Stephen's undoing.

It now appears that one of the most interesting aspects of the reign is the light which the events of the rivalry between Stephen and Matilda throw on feudal society. A general acceptance of the hereditary system, both for the crown and for the baronage, which was transforming itself into a landed nobility, seems to have been developing. This theory has been tested throughout the work by applying it systematically to a chronological narrative.

Genres: History, Medieval History, British Literature, Biography

156 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1967

About the author

Ralph Henry Carless Davis, always known publicly as R.H.C. Davis, was an English historian and educator specialising in the European Middle Ages. He was a leading exponent of strict documentary analysis and interpretation, was keenly interested in architecture and art in history, and was successful at communicating to the public and as a teacher.

R.H.C. Davis was the son of historian H.W. Carless Davis

Reviews

[Best British Biographies]

When Ralph Henry Carless Davis published his short biography of Stephen in 1967, he had the field entirely to himself. Indeed, in the book’s preface, he states that the “classic study of Stephen’s reign” until then was a biography of Geoffrey de Mandeville written three-quarters of a century earlier by the Victorian medievalist J. Horace Round. It’s quite a statement about Stephen’s standing in the pantheon of English kings that for decades he best book about him was a biography about a former follower turned rebel. During that time, however a number of collections of charters, most notably the Gesta Stephani and Regesta Regun Anglo-Normannorum were published, both requiring a revision of the understanding of the events of Stephen’s reign and the materials on which to base it.

For the rest of my review, click on the link:

https://www.bestbritishbios.com/2022/...

[Bill38silver]

A useful short introduction to the reign of a medieval king more usually mentioned in connection with his rival, empress Matilda. The book covers the often confusing and turbulent reign of Stephen with, and versus,the powers in the land, mostly the earls. Stephen seems to have spent much of his time dashing from place to place to head off enemies (real or imagined) with an almost continuous state (or threat) of civil war. This is only resolved by a common acceptance by all in positions of power and importance to accept the principle of hereditary inheritance of the king and nobles. Key to this was the strength of the succession arrangements (which several later kings and queens would have great trouble sorting out).

The book has useful appendices on sources and a list and short notes by county of the earls of the kingdom. Here and there the book strays from the brief to provide a lucid straightforward account into an academic account.

Davis says Stephen was "a man of great activity but little judgment". A useful book but not one that encourages more study of this reign.

[Mushu]

Bro a carry mes révisions

[Sheffielder]

It's reminded me that I need to read more history books - very interesting!

[Seth]

The scholar on the English Civil Wars and so easy to read as well.

[Nightwitch]

Chronological recounting of the life of King Stephen of England between the years 1135 and 1154 (i.e. the entirety of his reign) - also known as the period of "the anarchy," "when Christ and his saints slept" and Stephen and his cousin the Empress Matilda (daughter of Stephen's predecessor Henry I) battled for control of England and Normandy. I'm not well-informed enough to know whether the history has been superseded by later scholars, but the book itself is short and extremely readable.