Stephen (1097?-1154) was a king of England whose reign was so full of strife that it came to be known as The Anarchy. Stephen was a son of Adela, daughter of William the Conqueror. He claimed the throne after William’s son King Henry I died in 1135. But Henry’s daughter Matilda challenged Stephen’s claim. Stephen fought Matilda and her supporters for most of his reign. Finally, in 1153, Stephen recognized as his successor Matilda’s son Henry. After Stephen died on Oct. 25, 1154, Henry became the first Plantagenet king as Henry II.
