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Historical Event

The First Battle of Lincoln

Battle of Lincoln 1
The Battle as seen in the TV Series
Vital Stats
Period Early Medieval (The Anarchy)
Date 1141
Countries Involved England and English Rebels
Reprecussions King Stephen captured. Allows Matilda to take control of the country.

The First Battle of Lincoln is a battle that took place during The Anarchy in 1141 between King Stephen of England and Robert of Glouchester. It was a decisive victory for the Earl Robert's rebel forces, during which they captured King Stephen.

In The Pillars of the Earth[]

In the novel, the battle is seen through the eyes of William Hamleigh and Prior Philip. It begins when scouts report that Robert is crossing the ford close to Lincoln and although Stephen is initially reluctant to face him in battle, William Hamleigh brings enough men to outnumber them. From there they pray for victory before Stephen leads his forces to face them on a verge clsoe to Lincoln, despite the advice to fall back from his Earls.

He positions his mercenary forces on his left, to face the welsh hordes brought by Robert and his main Earls and knights make up his right to fight Robert's 'Disinherited'; the Earls who lost land when Stephen was crowned. Stepeh commands the centre andtakes William with him, all on foot. William claims this is because he wants a fair fight between Ranulf's man, who also fight on foot.

The battle begins and the mercenaries are the first to flee. This is followed by Stephen's Earls, but Richard of Kingsbridge manages to rally the people of Lincoln to hold the line and the King notices this. However, in the end Stephen is captured afterbeing hit by a rock and the battle is lost for him. Victory goes to Robert of Glouchester.

In the TV Series[]

The battle ends in the same way, but its a charge of horses and Robert's forces are pushed back into the forest. There, Richard of Kingsbridge captures Robert of Glouchester, while Stephen is captured by a variety of men.

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