On the death of her father, Matilda expected that, according to his last will, she would have been imme diately received as queen. But her claim seems to have been little attended to, both in Normandy and England ; and Stephen was scarcely crowned, when he was acknow ledged in both kingdoms. Her brother Robert, how ever, who was a man of honour and abilities, was much attached to her interest, and waited only for a favour able opportunity to assert them. Robert possessed con siderable influence in the kingdom, and was supported by numerous friends and retainers. On Stephen's ac cession to the throne, he had taken the oath of fealty ; but with this express condition, that the king should never invade any of his rights or dignities ; and thus he reserved for himself a pretence for throwing off his al legiance whenever he thought proper. As soon, there fore, as he had settled the plan of an insurrection, he retired to the continent, renounced his allegiance, and sent the king a defiance; upbraiding him with a breach of those conditions which had been annexed to his oath of fealty. About the same time, David King of Scot land entered Yorkshire with an army in support of Ma tilda's claim ; but the ravages and massacres which lie committed, instead of drawing the nobility to his stand ard, enraged them against him. They assembled their vassals, and, awaiting his approach at Northallerton, defeated him with great slaughter; and David and his son Henry narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the conquerors. This success overawed the malcon tents in England, and might have given stability to Stephen's throne, had he not engaged in a quarrel with the clergy.
Sensible of the evils which attended the of erecting so many citadels throughout the kingdom, which only served as sanctuaries for treason and licentiousness, Stephen resolved to diminish their number, and for this purpose began by destroying those of the clergy. Ma ny of the prelates had acted entirely as barons, and pos. fortified castles, and numerous retainers. Under pretence of a fray which had arisen in the court bo tween the attendants of the Bishop of Salisbury and the Earl of Brittany, the king seized that prelate, and also his nephew, the Bishop of Lincoln, threw them into prison, and obliged them to deliver up the strong cas tles which they had erected. This bold measure at once excited the whole power of the church against him. Even the Bishop of Winchester, the king's bro ther, who had received a legantine commission from the Pope, took part with his brethren, and resolved to vindicate their violated privileges. Stephen was sum moned to appear before a synod held at Westminster, and to justify his conduct ; and submitted so far as to send a deputy to plead his cause, who accused the two prelates of treason and sedition ; but the synod, before they would enter upon this cause, demanded the resti tution of their castles. This Stephen refused, and the Bishop of Salisbury threatened to appeal to the Pope.
This dispute increased the partisans of Matilda ; and the legate himself encouraged her to attempt the reco very of her rights. She accordingly landed in Eng
land, accompanied by the Earl of Gloucester and 140 knights, and was received by Adclais, the queen-dow ager, into Arundel Castle. Her party daily gained ground, and she was soon in a condition to meet Ste phen in the field. A civil war was thus raised in the heart of the kingdom, which raged for above a year with various success. At length, however, the fate of war deprived Stephen of his crown. While he was be sieging the castle of Lincoln, the Earl of Gloucester arrived with an army to the relief of his friends. Ste phen resolved immediately to give him battle. His troops consisted chiefly of foreign mercenaries, led on by tumultuous barons. After a violent onset, his horse gave way, and were soon followed by the infantry. The king, unaccustomed to fly, was left in the midst of the enemy. He defended himself with great bra very and resolution, till at last his battle-axe and sword being both shivered in pieces, he was compelled to sur render himself to the victors. He was thrown into pri son at Gloucester, and loaded with irons.
Matilda was immediately acknowledged as sovereign by most of the nobility and clergy; but she seemed to depend more upon the power of the latter, than of the barons, for the continuance of her authority. She en deavoured to attach the Bishop of Winchester more firmly to her interests, by entrusting him with the en tire administration of the government, and placing in his hands the disposal of all vacant bishoprics and ab bies. This unbounded power, accompanied with libe ral promises, secured the favour of the legate and the church ; and Matilda might have long reigned in tran quillity, had she possessed the policy and prudence to conciliate a turbulent and martial people. But she dis gusted the nation by her pride. She had been the wife of the emperor, and seemed still to retain a conscious ness of her dignity. She knew not how to temper a refusal with affability; but rejected the petitions of her subjects in the most peremptory and haughty manner. She refused the petition of the Londoners, to replace the oppressive laws of King Henry by those of King Edward; and imprudently offended the legate, by de nying his request to allow his nephew, Eustace, to in herit Boulogne, and Stephen's other patrimonial estates.
This refusal was the cause of another revolution; and this prelate resolved to deprive her of a tin one, to which he had been chiefly instrumental in raising her. Ile instigated the Londoners to revolt, and had nearly got possession of the queen's person. But she lied to Oxford, and afterwards to Winchester, where she was besieged by the legate. Being hard pressed by famine, she made her escape, but in the flight her brother Ro bert was taken prisoner. This nobleman was soon af ter exchanged for Stephen ; and as each was the life of his own party, the contest was carried on for several_ years with great animosity, but without any decisive advantage on either side.