Born 1105 = Maud of Boulogne. | +-------------+------------------------+ | | Eustace, Earl of Boulogne. William, Earl of Boulogne. d. 1152. d. 1159. CONTEMPORARY PRINCES. _Scotland._ | _France._ | _Germany._ | _Spain._ | | | David I., 1124. | Louis VI., 1108. | Lothaire II., | Alphonso VIII., Malcolm IV., 1153. | Louis VII., 1137. | 1125. | 1134. Frederick I., 1152. | | Conrad III., | | | 1138. | POPES.--Innocent II., 1130. Celestine II., 1143. Lucius II., 1144 Eugenius III., 1145. Anastasius IV., 1153. _Archbishops._ | _Chief-Justice._ | _Chancellors._ | | William of Corbeuil, | Roger, Bishop of | Roger the Poor, 1135. 1123-1136. | Salisbury. | Philip, 1139. Theobald, 1139-1161. | 1135-1139. | [Sidenote: Stephen’s accession.] On Henry’s death, according to the oath of the nobles, Matilda, late Empress, now wife of Geoffrey of Anjou, should have become Duchess of Normandy and Queen of England. But the principle of hereditary succession was by no means firmly established; a female sovereign was not desirable for a feudal country; her child Henry was an infant; and the nobles held that the conditions of their oath of fealty had been broken when Matilda had married a foreigner. There was therefore almost a unanimous feeling that one or other of the Princes of Blois, grandsons of the Conqueror, Theobald the elder brother, or Stephen, Count of Mortain and Boulogne, should ascend the throne. Steps were being taken in Normandy to induce Theobald to come forward, when news was brought to him that the superior quickness of his brother Stephen had already secured the crown in England, where, though not without some demur, the influence of the Church, headed by his brother Henry of Winchester, had secured him success. [Sidenote: Strange character of the reign.] [Sidenote: Great power of the Church.]