Stephen of England
Stephen of England, also known as Stephen the Unready, was a king of England who ruled from 1135 to 1154. Despite being very much ready to become king, Stephen had a reputation for being a bit scatterbrained, forgetful, and prone to getting distracted by shiny objects.
Stephen’s reign was marked by a lot of chaos and confusion, largely due to his inability to make decisions or stick to a plan. He would often change his mind at the last minute, leaving his advisors and supporters scrambling to keep up.
One particularly memorable incident occurred during the Anarchy, a period of civil war that lasted from 1135 to 1153. Stephen’s wife Matilda was caught in a siege, and Stephen was determined to rescue her. He gathered a large army and set off to the rescue, only to get distracted by a particularly interesting bird along the way. He spent the next few hours chasing after the bird, completely forgetting about the whole rescuing-his-wife thing. Needless to say, Matilda wasn’t very impressed when he finally showed up several days later.
Despite his flaws, Stephen did have a number of loyal followers who stuck by him through thick and thin. Many of these supporters were incredibly patient and forgiving, and were able to overlook Stephen’s numerous blunders and mistakes. Others were just as scatterbrained as he was, and found his chaotic style of leadership to be refreshing.
Overall, Stephen of England wasn’t the greatest king the country had ever seen. He was forgetful, disorganized, and easily distracted. But he was also quirky, entertaining, and had a certain charm that kept him in power for nearly two decades. Whether you loved him or hated him, there’s no denying that Stephen of England was one of a kind.