Editing The Anarchy (section)

====Rout of Winchester and the siege of Oxford====
{{main article|Siege of Oxford (1142)|Rout of Winchester}}
[[File:Oxford Castle.JPG|thumb|alt=A photograph of Oxford Castle in the 21st century|St George's Tower at [[Oxford Castle]]]]
Stephen's wife Matilda played a critical part in keeping the king's cause alive during his captivity. Queen Matilda gathered Stephen's remaining lieutenants around her and the royal family in the south-east, advancing into London when the population rejected the Empress.<ref name="Crouch 2002, p.261">Crouch (2002), p.261.</ref> Stephen's long-standing commander William of Ypres remained with the queen in London; William Martel, the royal steward, commanded operations from [[Sherborne]] in Dorset, and Faramus of Boulogne ran the royal household.<ref>Bennett, p.106; Crouch (2002), p.261.</ref> The queen appears to have generated genuine sympathy and support from Stephen's more loyal followers.<ref name="Crouch 2002, p.261"/> Henry's alliance with the Empress proved short-lived, as they soon fell out over political patronage and ecclesiastical policy; the bishop met Stephen's wife Queen Matilda at [[Guildford]] and transferred his support to her.<ref name=BarlowP176>Barlow, p.176.</ref>

The Empress's position was transformed by her defeat at the [[rout of Winchester]]. Following their retreat from London, Robert of Gloucester and the Empress besieged Henry in his episcopal castle at Winchester in July.<ref>Bradbury, p.121.</ref> Matilda was using the royal castle in the city of Winchester as a base for her operations, but shortly afterwards Queen Matilda and William of Ypres then encircled the Angevin forces with their own army, reinforced with fresh troops from London.<ref>Barlow, p.176; Chibnall, p.113.</ref> The Empress Matilda decided to escape from the city with her close associates Fitz Count and Reginald of Cornwall, while the rest of her army delayed the royal forces.<ref>Chibnall, p.113.</ref> In the subsequent battle the Empress's forces were defeated and Robert of Gloucester himself was taken prisoner during the retreat, although Matilda herself escaped, exhausted, to her fortress at Devizes.<ref>Barlow, p.177; Chibnall, p.114.</ref>

With both Stephen and Robert held prisoner, negotiations were held to try to agree a long term peace settlement, but Queen Matilda was unwilling to offer any compromise to the Empress, and Robert refused to accept any offer to encourage him to change sides to Stephen.<ref name=BarlowP177>Barlow, p.177.</ref> Instead, in November the two sides simply exchanged the two leaders, Stephen returning to his queen, and Robert to the Empress in Oxford.<ref>Barlow, p.177; Chibnall, p.115.</ref> Henry held another church council, which reversed its previous decision and reaffirmed Stephen's legitimacy to rule, and a fresh coronation of Stephen and Matilda occurred at Christmas 1141.<ref name=BarlowP177/> At the beginning of 1142 Stephen fell ill, and by Easter rumours had begun to circulate that he had died.<ref>Bradbury, pp.134, 136.</ref> Possibly this illness was the result of his imprisonment the previous year, but he finally recovered and travelled north to raise new forces and to successfully convince [[Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester|Ranulf of Chester]] to change sides once again.<ref name="Barlow, p.178">Barlow, p.178.</ref> Stephen then spent the summer attacking some of the new Angevin castles built the previous year, including [[Cirencester Castle|Cirencester]], [[Bampton Castle, Oxfordshire|Bampton]] and [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]].<ref name=BradburyP136>Bradbury, p.136.</ref>

During mid-1142 Robert returned to Normandy to assist Geoffrey with operations against some of Stephen's remaining followers there; he returned to England later in the year.<ref>Chibnall, pp.116–117.</ref> Meanwhile, Matilda came under increased pressure from Stephen's forces and had become surrounded at [[Oxford]].<ref name=BradburyP136/> Oxford was a secure town, protected by walls and the [[River Isis]], but Stephen led a sudden attack across the river, leading the charge and swimming part of the way.<ref name=BradburyP137>Bradbury, p.137.</ref> Once on the other side, the king and his men broke into the town, trapping the Empress in the castle.<ref name=BradburyP137/> [[Oxford Castle]] was a powerful fortress and, rather than storming it, Stephen had to settle down for a long siege, secure in the knowledge that Matilda was now surrounded.<ref name=BradburyP137/> Just before Christmas, the Empress sneaked out of the castle, crossed the icy river on foot and made her escape past the royal army to safety at Wallingford, leaving the castle garrison free to surrender the next day. Matilda stayed with Fitz Count for a period, then reestablished her court at Devizes.<ref>Chibnall, p.117.</ref>