King Stephen and the Anarchy

"The Anarchy, the protracted struggle between Stephen of Blois andf the Empress Matilda for the English crown between 1135 and 1154, is often seen as a disastrous breakdown of one of the best-governed kingdoms of medieval Europe. But perhaps the impact of the conflict has been overstated, and its effect on the common people across the country is hard to judge. ... Kingship in England and the quarrel over the succession are reconsidered, together with the contrasting claims and charactesr and the principal protagonists. Anglo-Scottish and Anglo-Welsh relations are an essential part of the story, as is the response of the Church and the wider population to the collapse of central authority. There is a close analysis of the purely military side of events. The influence of the [Crusades], the relative importance of mounted knights, infantry and archers, the use of mercenaries, the evolution of armour and the strengths and weaknesses of English, Welsh and Scottish fighting methods."--Book jacket.