Coinage and Regional Authority in the Reign of King Stephen, 1135-1154

Thuraisingham, Arrun Jack (2024) Coinage and Regional Authority in the Reign of King Stephen, 1135-1154. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Coinage is a long-studied yet frequently neglected aspect of medieval history. Highly portable, and performing vital economic, administrative, political, and social roles, coinage was essential even for those who handled little of it. This thesis explores coinage, authority and governance in the reign of Stephen, King of The English from 1135 to 1154. Over fourteen years Stephen fought, first against Empress Matilda, then her son Henry of Anjou, to preserve his kingship. Amidst contested royal authority and violent struggle, aspirant monarchs, their supporters, and others, issued coins. Anglo-Norman coinage temporarily ceased to be a royal monopoly, becoming fractured and decentralised in ways long familiar from mainland Europe. This thesis seeks to move beyond the paradigm of ‘Anarchy’ that dominates Stephen’s reign. Coinage as a source will be central, not secondary to written narratives. Sources including the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Fitzwilliam Museum’s EMC, and previously unpublished data from the British Museum, will be used to explore coinage’s relationship with power and notions of authority across the Anglo-Norman community of Stephen’s reign. Expanding upon established theoretical approaches, coinage is interpreted regionally, dividing Stephen’s realm into four broad areas. Establishing geographic and political nuances distinctive to each region will better contextualise their local coinages. Simultaneously, overarching continuities with pre-war coinage will be explored. The historiography both of Stephen’s reign and of the English monetary system from the tenth century through to Henry I will be discussed, followed by chapters dedicated to each region. These chapters are subdivided into analysis of types and hoards, followed by broader commentary on how numismatic evidence informs the overall discussion of money and power. Closing remarks re-iterate the distinctive aspects of regional coinage, while placing them within broader trends of local coinage within a strong regalian tradition, and exploring potentialities for further exploration of the subject.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of History
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	24 Mar 2025 10:28
Last Modified:	24 Mar 2025 10:28
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/98867
DOI:

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