Editing Empress Matilda (section)

===Conclusion of the war===
[[File:Eleonora Jindra2.jpg|thumb|alt=Picture of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitain|12th-century depiction of Matilda's eldest son [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] and his wife [[Eleanor of Aquitaine|Eleanor]] holding court]]
The character of the conflict in England gradually began to shift; by the late 1140s, the major fighting in the war was over, giving way to an intractable stalemate, with only the occasional outbreak of fresh fighting.<ref name=BarlowP180>{{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=180}}</ref> Several of Matilda's key supporters died: in 1147 Robert of Gloucester died peacefully, and Brian Fitz Count gradually withdrew from public life, probably eventually joining a monastery; by 1151 he was dead.<ref>{{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=180}}; {{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=148–149}}</ref> Many of Matilda's other followers joined the [[Second Crusade]] when it was announced in 1145, leaving the region for several years.<ref name=BarlowP180/> Some of the Anglo-Norman barons made individual peace agreements with each other to secure their lands and war gains, and many were not keen to pursue any further conflict.<ref>{{harvnb|Davis|1977|pp=111–112}}</ref>

Matilda's eldest son Henry slowly began to assume a leading role in the conflict.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=144–146}}</ref> He had remained in France when the Empress first left for England.<ref name=Chibnall1991P144>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=144}}</ref> He crossed over to England in 1142, before returning to Anjou in 1144.<ref name=Chibnall1991P144/> Geoffrey of Anjou expected Henry to become the King of England and began to involve him in the government of the family lands.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=145}}</ref> In 1147, Henry intervened in England with a small mercenary army but the expedition failed, not least because Henry lacked the funds to pay his men.<ref name=BarlowP180/> Henry asked his mother for money, but she refused, stating that she had none available.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=146}}</ref> In the end Stephen himself ended up paying off Henry's mercenaries, allowing him to return home safely; his reasons for doing so remain unclear.<ref name="King 2010 243">{{Harvnb|King|2010|p=243}}; {{harvnb|Barlow|1999|p=180}}</ref>{{refn|One potential explanation is Stephen's general courtesy to a member of his extended family; another is that he was starting to consider how to end the war peacefully, and saw this as a way of building a relationship with Henry.<ref name="King 2010 243"/>|group="nb"}}

Matilda decided to return to Normandy in 1148, partially due to her difficulties with the Church.<ref name=Chibnall191P148/> The Empress had occupied the strategically essential Devizes Castle in 1142, maintaining her court there, but legally it still belonged to [[Josceline de Bohon]], Bishop of Salisbury, and in late 1146 [[Pope Eugene III]] intervened to support his claims, threatening Matilda with excommunication if she did not return it.<ref name=Chibnall191P148>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=148}}</ref> Matilda first played for time, then left for Normandy in early 1148, leaving the castle to Henry, who then procrastinated over its return for many years.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=148–149}}</ref> Matilda re-established her court in Rouen, where she met with her sons and husband and probably made arrangements for her future life in Normandy, and for Henry's next expedition to England.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=151, 153}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/printable/18338 | title=Matilda [Matilda of England] (1102–1167), Empress, Consort of Heinrich V |mode=cs2| access-date=22 December 2013 | last1= Chibnall| first1= Marjorie | website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | publisher=Oxford University Press | year = 2004–2013 }}</ref> Matilda chose to live in the priory of Notre Dame du Pré, situated just south of Rouen, where she lived in personal quarters attached to the priory and in a nearby palace built by Henry.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=151}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/printable/18338 | title=Matilda [Matilda of England] (1102–1167), Empress, Consort of Heinrich V |mode=cs2| access-date=22 December 2013 | last1= Chibnall| first1= Marjorie | website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | publisher=Oxford University Press | year = 2004–2013 }}</ref>

Matilda increasingly devoted her efforts to the administration of Normandy, rather than to the war in England.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=150–152}}; {{Harvnb|Bradbury|2009|p=157}}</ref> Geoffrey sent the [[bishop of Thérouanne]] to Rome in 1148 to campaign for Henry's right to the English throne, and opinion within the English Church gradually shifted in Henry's favour.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=147}}</ref> Matilda and Geoffrey made peace with Louis VII, who in return supported Henry's rights to Normandy.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|pp=154–155}}</ref> Geoffrey died unexpectedly in 1151, and Henry claimed the family lands.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=155}}</ref> Henry returned to England once again at the start of 1153 with a small army, winning the support of some of the major regional barons.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bradbury|2009|pp=178–179}}</ref> Neither side's army was keen to fight, however, and the Church [[Treaty of Wallingford|brokered a truce]]; a [[Treaty of Winchester|permanent peace followed]], under which Henry recognised Stephen as king, but became Stephen's adopted son and successor.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bradbury|2009|p=183}}; {{Harvnb|Crouch|2002|p=276}}; {{Harvnb|King|2010|pp=270, 280–283}}; {{Harvnb|Bradbury|2009|pp=189–190}}; {{harvnb|Barlow|1999|pp=187–188}}</ref> Meanwhile, Normandy faced considerable disorder and the threat of baronial revolt, which Matilda was unable to totally suppress.<ref name=Chibnall1991P157>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=157}}</ref> Stephen died the next year, and Henry assumed the throne; his coronation used the grander of the two imperial crowns that Matilda had brought back from Germany in 1125.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chibnall|1991|p=189}}</ref> Once Henry had been crowned, the troubles facing Matilda in Normandy died away.<ref name=Chibnall1991P157/>