Stephen, King of England Robert of Gloucester rebelled against the King, starting the descent into civil war in England. An illegitimate son of Henry I and the half-brother of the Empress Matilda, Robert was one of the most powerful Anglo-Norman barons, controlling estates in Normandy as well as the Earldom of Gloucester. He was known for his qualities as a statesman, his military experience, and leadership ability. Robert had tried to convince Theobald to take the throne in 1135; he did not attend Stephen's first court in 1136 and it took several summons to convince him to attend court at Oxford later that year.
The History of the Norman Conquest of England periods aimed at a popular readership: "Old English History for Children", a work he had had in mind since before he began the "History of the Norman Conquest", was published in 1869; "A Short History of the Norman Conquest" in 1880; and "William the Conqueror" in 1888. In 1974 J. W. Burrow produced an abridged edition of the "History of the Norman Conquest of England". Freeman was a man of deeply held convictions, which he expounded in the "History of the Norman Conquest" and other works with vigour and enthusiasm. These included the belief, common to many thinkers of his