BattlefieldsSiege of Southampton Castle
Medieval

Siege of Southampton Castle

1153
Hampshire, England
Also known as: Southampton 1153 Anarchy · Henry of Anjou takes Southampton
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Hampshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
King Stephen
Forces
Stephen garrison: c.500–1,000.
VS
Victor
Henry of Anjou
Forces
Henry of Anjou: c.3,000–5,000
Outcome
Henry landed and secured Southampton; advance that forced Stephen to negotiate
The Battle

History & Significance

Henry of Anjou (the future Henry II) landed at Southampton in January 1153 with a small force. Stephen's forces could not prevent his advance. Henry took various castles and confronted Stephen at Wallingford. The result was the Treaty of Winchester (1153) by which Stephen recognised Henry as his heir. Southampton's port was the gateway for this decisive campaign.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Hampshire

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Hampshire