On 25 November 1120, the political status of England was thrown into chaos when a ship sank off the coast of France. The White Ship had set sail from France carrying around 300 passengers. All except one died in the disaster, including the ship's most important passenger William Adelin. William was the only legitimate son of King Henry I and heir to the English throne and with his death, England was left without a clear successor. William's sister, Empress Matilda (the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor), was the only other legitimate child of Henry I but, as a woman, was not an ideal choice.
When Henry I died 15 years after the sinking, it was Stephen of Blois, Henry’s nephew, who claimed the throne and went head to head with Matilda over the crown in a civil war known as The Anarchy. However, Stephen had also
