Rout of Winchester

Rout of Winchester
Part of The Anarchy
West Gate, Winchester, Hampshire
Date 14 September 1141 Location Winchester, England 51°03′38″N 1°18′45″W / 51.060494°N 1.312523°W / 51.060494; -1.312523 Result Blesevin victory
Belligerents
House of Blois	Angevins
Commanders and leaders
Queen Matilda Henry of Blois William of Ypres	Empress Matilda Robert of Gloucester (POW) Reginald of Cornwall
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Light	Main body destroyed, rear guard captured

In the Rout of Winchester (14 September 1141) the army of imprisoned King Stephen of England, led by his wife, Queen Matilda of Boulogne, Stephen's brother Bishop Henry of Blois, and William of Ypres, faced the army of Stephen's cousin Empress Matilda, whose forces were commanded by her half-brother Earl Robert of Gloucester. After Empress Matilda's army besieged a castle on the edge of Winchester, Queen Matilda's army arrived and blockaded the Angevin army within the city. Cut off from supplies, the Angevin army gave up the siege, then was crushed as it began to retreat. Robert of Gloucester was captured and was subsequently exchanged for Stephen, who was returned to the throne of England. However, the civil war known as The Anarchy dragged on with neither side gaining an advantage.