• Born: 1096/7, Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France
• Married: 1125, Westminster, London, Middlesex, England
• Died: 25 Oct 1153, St. Martin's Prior, Dover, England
• Buried: Faversham Abbey, Faversham, Kent, England

  Research Notes:

Orderic Vitalis records that “Stephanus Blesensis palatinus comes” and his wife had “filios quatuor: Guillelmum et Tedbaldum, Stephanumque et Henricum”, adding that Etienne received “comitatum Moritolii in Normannia et multos in Anglia...honores” from “Henrici regis avunculi sui”. Orderic Vitalis records that he was created Comte de Mortain by Henry I King of England "after Guillaume Comte de Mortain was captured at Tinchebrai" (1106). He was invested with Séez, Alençon, Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe and Almenèches with La Roche-Mabille by his brother Comte Thibaut IV, after the latter was invested with these lands by Henry I King of England who had confiscated them from Robert de Bellême. It is difficult to date this event accurately. Robert de Bellême's territories were confiscated in 1112, but the passage in Orderic follows a description of the rebellion of Robert Giroie which is assumed to have taken place in Jul [1119].

Comte de Boulogne, de iure uxoris, before 1125. "Stephanus comes Bolonie et Morethonii et Mathildis comitissa" confirmed the possessions of the abbey of Samer by charter dated 1141 (presumably misdated because of the donors´ titles), subscribed by "…Eustachius de Fielnes, Willelmus et Rogerus fratres sui…".

After the death of his uncle Henry I King of England, Stephen crossed at once to England before his rival, King Henry's daughter Matilda, and had himself crowned as STEPHEN King of England at Westminster Abbey 22 Dec 1135. His first cousin Matilda continued to dispute the succession. During the civil war which ensued, Stephen was deposed and imprisoned by Matilda 7-10 April 1141, but restored to the throne 1 Nov 1141. He was crowned a second time at Canterbury Cathedral 1141, and a third time at Lincoln Cathedral 1146.

Robert of Torigny records the death "1154 VIII Kal Nov" as "Stephanus rex Anglorum" and his burial "in monasterio Fasseham". ¹