King Stephen by Edmund King

King Stephen by Edmund King

This compelling new biography provides the most authoritative picture yet of King Stephen, whose reign (1135-1154), with its 'nineteen long winters' of civil war, made his name synonymous with failed leadership. After years of work on the sources, Edmund King shows with rare clarity the strengths and weaknesses of the monarch. Keeping Stephen at the forefront of his account, the author also chronicles the activities of key family members and associates whose loyal support sustained Stephen's kingship. In 1135, the popular Stephen was elected king against the claims of the empress Matilda and her sons. But by 1153, Stephen had lost control over Normandy and other important regions, England had lost prestige, and the weakened king was forced to cede his family's right to succession. A rich narrative covering the drama of a tumultuous reign, this book focuses well-deserved attention on a king who lost control of his destiny.

Edmund King is Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of Sheffield, having joined the department in 1966 and holding a chair since 1989. He has held visiting fellowships at the Huntington Library, USA (where he was a Fulbright Scholar), and at All Souls College, Oxford, and has taught also at the universities of Connecticut and Michigan in the USA. He has published widely in the field of Medieval British History, including authoring the illustrated survey Medieval England, and editing The Anarchy of King Stephen's Reign, which is one of the most highly regarded books in the field.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780300112238
ISBN 10	0300112238
Title	King Stephen
Author	Edmund King
Series	The Yale English Monarchs Series
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Yale University Press
Year published	2011-01-18
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable