WI: Stephen was succeeded by his son William?

[Alphalol]

Stephen of Blois was the 4th son of Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela, daughter of William I of England. He wasn't expected to be King but in 1120, his cousin William Adelin, Henry I's only legitimate son drowned in the White Ship Disaster. Henry I had no children from his second wife and so he tried to make his daughter Matilda his heir, but the nobles backed his nephew Stephen. In 1135 Henry I himself died but Stephen got to England before Matilda and then seized the throne. This led to the Anarchy in 1138 which Stephen was winning. However in 1153 his eldest son Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne died but by this point Stephen signed the Treaty of Wallingford, which was a compromise that Matilda would never be Queen however, her son Henry II, Duke of Normandy would succeed him. But what if he never signed the treaty and was succeeded by his younger son William?

1. How much longer would the Anarchy go on?
2. Since William would only be 17 at his ascension and the age of adulthood was 21 at the time, How would the regency affect the War?
3. If William III dies on schedule, who would succeed him?
4. There would be 4 claimants. Marie, Countess of Boulogne (Sister of William III, Daughter of Stephen), Empress Matilda (Daughter of Henry I), Eudes Archambaud and Henry I, Count of Champagne (both Great-grandsons of William I), who would most likely get the throne?

 

[isabella]

Stephen of Blois was the 4th son of Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela, daughter of William I of England. He wasn't expected to be King but in 1120, his cousin William Adelin, Henry I's only legitimate son drowned in the White Ship Disaster. Henry I had no children from his second wife and so he tried to make his daughter Matilda his heir, but the nobles backed his nephew Stephen. In 1135 Henry I himself died but Stephen got to England before Matilda and then seized the throne. This led to the Anarchy in 1138 which Stephen was winning. However in 1153 his eldest son Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne died but by this point Stephen signed the Treaty of Wallingford, which was a compromise that Matilda would never be Queen however, her son Henry II, Duke of Normandy would succeed him. But what if he never signed the treaty and was succeeded by his younger son William?

1. How much longer would the Anarchy go on?
2. Since William would only be 17 at his ascension and the age of adulthood was 21 at the time, How would the regency affect the War?
3. If William III dies on schedule, who would succeed him?
4. There would be 4 claimants. Marie, Countess of Boulogne (Sister of William III, Daughter of Stephen), Empress Matilda (Daughter of Henry I), Eudes Archambaud and Henry I, Count of Champagne (both Great-grandsons of William I), who would most likely get the throne?

Marie was a nun and Henry would be put forward as King by his mother as Matilda had renounced to take personally the English Crown at this point

 

[Alphalol]

Marie was a nun and Henry would be put forward as King by his mother as Matilda had renounced to take personally the English Crown at this point

If the same marriages happen, what would happen when England and Navarre enter a personal union?

 

[isabella]

If the same marriages happen, what would happen when England and Navarre enter a personal union?

At the POD Henry is already married to Eleanor, but the wedding of their (mostly not yet born) children are far from being established. If Henry take England later than OTL their interests would be on Aquitaine and Normandy for longer than OTL. Said that in a different scenario is not guaranteed who Richard’s match to Alys will became impossible leading to his wedding to Berengaria

 

[Alphalol]

At the POD Henry is already married to Eleanor, but the wedding of their (mostly not yet born) children are far from being established. If Henry take England later than OTL their interests would be on Aquitaine and Normandy for longer than OTL. Said that in a different scenario is not guaranteed who Richard’s match to Alys will became impossible leading to his wedding to Berengaria

I know Henry was married to Eleanor. I thought you were talking about Henry I of Champagne, who's grandson inherited Navarre

 

[kasumigenx]

Louis VII could take Marie as his wife instead of Adela to screw over Eleanor and Henry II in this scenario...

 

[isabella]

Louis VII could take Marie as his wife instead of Adela to screw over Eleanor and Henry II in this scenario...

Marie is already a nun at this point. Louis would not marry her for any reason, he was far too religious for that. Remember who Maria who OTL was kidnapped with force from her convent and in any case she would inherit only Boulogne not England (she would be less welcomed than Matilda there and in any case would lose to Henry II)

 

[isabella]

I know Henry was married to Eleanor. I thought you were talking about Henry I of Champagne, who's grandson inherited Navarre

I believed who was clear who the Henry about which I was talking. In any case if Richard do not married Berengaria is unlikely who Blanche would marry Theobald III (and Henry II of Champagne could live or marry differently than OTL)

 

[Darth_Kiryan]

in 1153, when IIRC, Henry FitzEmpress was already the "Duke of Normandy" in c1151.
A problem here is that a lot of the Anglo-Norman/Norman barons and Lords had lands in both Normandy and England, and were essentially fighting for two masters. The Treaty of Wallingford did recognise this and Henry was one reason why Henry FitzEmpress became Henry II of England - all of the nobles refused to fight and made both Henry and Stephen come to an agreement in order to ensure their personal cross-channel territories.

If William takes the crown in 1153, then Henry is probably going to fight hard to get it and invade, or hes going to do a massive land redistribution in Normandy.

It would be interesting if Henry himself went and took over France proper, because at this stange, he has Normandy, Maine, Anjou, Aquitaine, Touraine and Poitou....That would be an interesting butterfly.