Battle of Wilton (1143)

Battle of Wilton
Part of the Anarchy
Date 1 July 1143 Location Wilton, England Result Angevin victory
Belligerents
Blesevins	Angevins
Commanders and leaders
Stephen of Blois William Martel (POW)	Robert of Gloucester

Coordinates: 51°04′48″N 1°51′50″W / 51.080°N 1.864°W / 51.080; -1.864

The Battle of Wilton was a battle of the civil war in England known as The Anarchy. It was fought on 1 July 1143 at Wilton in Wiltshire. An army under King Stephen was stationed at Wilton Abbey, where it was attacked by an army led by Robert Earl of Gloucester. Although King Stephen's army was defeated, the king himself escaped capture.

On 1 January 1127, King Henry I of England designated his daughter, the Empress Matilda, as heir to the throne. However, when Henry died in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois crossed the Channel from Boulogne to England and claimed the throne. He quickly gained the support of London's magnates and the church, and seized control of the treasury at Winchester. He was crowned king on 22 December 1135.

By 1138, Matilda had gathered enough support to challenge Stephen for the throne. Her supporters were led by her half-brother Robert Earl of Gloucester. The ensuing civil war lasted until 6 November 1153 when, by the Treaty of Wallingford, Stephen recognised Matilda's son Henry as heir to the throne.

By 1142 both sides had become cautious of risking open battle, and the civil war became a war of sieges as each side attempted to capture strongholds held by the other. With Matilda's strongholds mainly confined to south west England, most of the sieges took place around that area.

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