Editing Empress Matilda (section)

===Revolt===
[[File:Empress Matilda silver penny from the Oxford Mint.jpg|thumb|300px|alt=Picture of a silver penny coin|A Matilda [[silver penny]], minted in [[Oxford]]]]
Matilda's half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, was one of the most powerful Anglo-Norman barons, controlling estates in Normandy as well as the [[Earldom of Gloucester]].<ref name=BarlowP169>{{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=169}}</ref> In 1138, he rebelled against Stephen, starting the descent into civil war in England.<ref>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2004|p=169}}</ref> Robert renounced his fealty to the King and declared his support for Matilda, which triggered a major regional rebellion in [[Kent]] and across the south-west of England, although he himself remained in Normandy.<ref>{{harvnb|Stringer|1993|p=18}}</ref> Matilda had not been particularly active in asserting her claims to the throne since 1135 and in many ways it was Robert who took the initiative in declaring war in 1138.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=70–71}}; {{harvnb|Bradbury|2009|p=25}}</ref> In France, Geoffrey took advantage of the situation by invading Normandy. David of Scotland also invaded the north of England once again, announcing that he was supporting the claim of Matilda to the throne, pushing south into [[Yorkshire]].<ref name=CarpenterP166/>{{refn|[[David I of Scotland|David I]] was the uncle of both Empress Matilda and [[Matilda of Boulogne]].|group="nb"}}

Stephen responded quickly to the revolts and invasions, paying most of his attention to England rather than Normandy. His wife Matilda was sent to Kent with ships and resources from [[Boulogne]], with the task of retaking the key port of [[Dover]], under Robert's control.<ref name=BarlowP169/> A small number of Stephen's household knights were sent north to help the fight against the Scots, where David's forces were defeated later that year at the [[Battle of the Standard]].<ref name=CarpenterP166>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2004|p=166}}</ref> Despite this victory, however, David still occupied most of the north.<ref name=CarpenterP166/> Stephen himself went west in an attempt to regain control of [[Gloucestershire]], first striking north into the [[Welsh Marches]], taking [[Hereford]] and [[Shrewsbury]], before heading south to [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]].<ref name=BarlowP169/> The town of [[Bristol]] itself proved too strong for him, and Stephen contented himself with raiding and pillaging the surrounding area.<ref name=BarlowP169/> The rebels appear to have expected Robert to intervene with support, but he remained in Normandy throughout the year, trying to persuade the Empress Matilda to invade England herself.<ref>{{harvnb|Bradbury|2009|p=67}}</ref> Dover finally surrendered to the Queen's forces later in the year.<ref name=Crouch2002P256>{{Harvnb|Crouch|2002|p=256}}</ref>

By 1139, an invasion of England by Robert and Matilda appeared imminent. Geoffrey and Matilda had secured much of Normandy and, together with Robert, spent the beginning of the year mobilising forces for a cross-Channel expedition.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=74}}</ref> Matilda also appealed to the papacy at the start of the year; her representative, Bishop Ulger, put forward her legal claim to the English throne on the grounds of her hereditary right and the oaths sworn by the barons.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=75}}</ref> [[Arnulf of Lisieux]] led Stephen's case, arguing that because Matilda's mother had really been a nun, her claim to the throne was illegitimate.<ref name=Chibnall1991PP7576>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=75–76}}</ref> The Pope declined to reverse his earlier support for Stephen, but from Matilda's perspective the case usefully established that Stephen's claim was disputed.<ref name=Chibnall1991PP7576/>