Stephen II, Count of Blois

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This article is about the Count of Blois. For Stephen, the King of England, see Stephen of England.

Stephen II Henry (c.1045-May 19, 1102), (in French, Étienne Henri), Count of Blois and Count of Chartres, was the son of Theobald III, count of Blois, and Garsinde du Maine.

Life

Count Stephen was one of the leaders of the First Crusade, often writing enthusiastic letters to Adela about the crusade's progress. He returned home in 1098 during the lengthy siege of Antioch, without having fulfilled his crusading vow, which would have been completed only if he had made it all the way to Jerusalem. He was pressured by Adela into making a second pilgrimage, and along with others who faced the same pressures after returning home prematurely, he joined the minor crusade of 1101. In 1102, Stephen was killed in battle at the age of 57, at the Battle of Ramla.

Family and children

In about 1080, in Chartres, France, Stephen married Adela of Normandy, a daughter of William the Conqueror. Their eldest son, Guillaume, was disinherited, supposedly for mental weakness; he was made Count of Chartres instead. Blois then passed to the second son, Theobald. Their third son Stephen of Blois became King of England after Henry I of England died without a male heir and the English did not think Henry I's daughter Empress Matilda a suitable ruler because of her sex. Stephen and Adela's youngest son was Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester. A daughter, Mahaut of Blois, perished in the White Ship disaster with her husband Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester.

Lithuaise of Blois who married Milon of Troyes, viscount of Troyes was probably his sister and not his wife, judging from the dates of her children.

Template:Start box |width="30%" align="center"|Preceded by:
Theobald III |width="40%" align="center"|Count of Blois
1089–1102 |width="30%" align="center"|Succeeded by:
Theobald IV Template:End boxde:Stephan II. (Blois) fr:Étienne II de Blois pt:Estevão II, Conde de Blois ru:Стефан II Блуаский