flourished anglo norman magnate reign reigned king henry_ii england reigned large family brothers abbot stephen named sheriff administrative offices controlled number royal castles served stephen king english military campaigns heir niece married henry background following king henry death succession disputed henry stephen elder brother count champagne henry surviving legitimate child usually known marriage brother king henry legitimate son william died leaving henry legitimate offspring widowed returned england father married count england normandy required declare henry heir henry died stephen rushed england crowned react norman barons accepted stephen duke normandy brother reconciled losing throne secured support scottish king david maternal uncle secured support half brother robert gloucester earl gloucester illegitimate son reign dominated efforts later son henry stephen throne height civil war began declared previously supporting stephen traditionally historians referred period civil war anarchy recent scholarship rejected extreme view time period historians reign highly stephen weak useless early life son elder came near region normandy held lands england robert time survey alice daughter held lands time william brother later siblings later abbot hugh roger uncle abbot likely william sisters married gilbert father sure evidence mentioned relatives brothers exact relationship unknown needs distinguished held office career william brother leading supporters leaders stephen army gathered winchester given control town royal castle oxford held town castle acquired possibly earlier begin fortifications likely began stone defences site important holding basis power county controlled temporarily administered lands robert previously held defected died year later heir took refuge stephen overran lands weeks father death leading control lands historians seen holding lands stephen giving evidence eventually owned manor previously belonging necessarily mean received far likely stephen gave parts lands reverted king known lands known owned tenants held lands historians divided views held office exact office held oxford referred common use forced ask stephen help approach philip younger son robert earl gloucester threatening control oxford period forced nephew pay sums money surviving letters uncle behaviour asking god poor harmed granted island medley father brother roger king stephen queen son apparently began appears company roger earl firm supporter son henry cause served leader stephen army castle august defeated henry subsequent peace settlement treaty gave throne stephen death treaty awarded control lost control castle lands confiscated early henry witness charters henry henry ascension throne came terms new king received confirmation lands king spent time normandy henry continued receive king exemption payment manor married probably relative stephen main supporters died heir niece king henry_ii married henry royal chamberlain
William de Chesney