In this episode of the Medieval Archives Podcast we discuss "The Anarchy" a nineteen year period of civil war and chaos. The death of King Henry I set off a chain reaction of events that set England on a path of destruction. The Scots in the North, the Welsh in the West and the English nobleman all struggled to gain back or acquire land and wealth. Stephen of Blois becomes King Stephen and is a weak and indecisive leader. Empress Matilda is staging attacks from Normandy as the rightful heir to the throne. Will England survive two decades of civil war and infighting? Will King Stephen learn to rule with a strong hand and a decisive nature? Will Empress Matilda gain her rightful place as the Queen of England? You will find out all of this and more in Episode Four of the Medieval Archives Podcast. You can listen to the episode below. Or download the MP3 and listen to it on your favorite MP3 player. Subscribe to the feed so you do not miss a single episode. Items discussed: King Stephen Empress Matilda Battle of Standard Battle of Lincoln First Treaty of Durham Treaty of Wallingford Historical Fiction Books: Cecelia Holland: The Earl Elizabeth Chadwick: A Place Beyond Courage Ken Follett: The Pillars of the Earth The music was provided by Tim Rayburn. It is available at Magnatune.com Use the icons below to download the .mp3 audio file, subscribe directly to iTunes or subscribe to the RSS feed.