The White Ship

In 1120, King Henry I ruled England and Normandy, his only legitimate son and heir was William Adelin, who at the time was 17 years old. On November 25th 1120 Henry and his son were at Normandy, and were going to return to England. Thomas FitzStephen, whose father had served William the Conqueror, offered his ship, the White Ship, to transport the King to England. Henry had already made arrangements for himself, but agreed to let FitzStephen take his son and around 300 people (including many nobles), in his ship.

Before departing the port of Barfleur, the passengers and the crew were excessively drunk. Some felt indisposed and left the ship before its departure, one of these people was Stephen of Blois. The ship set sail when it was already dark, after the ship had been supplied with more wine, and the feasting and drinking continued during the travel. The partying and drinking had delayed the ship's departure, so William ordered FitzStephen and his crew (who were all drunk) to arrive in England before the King, who had departed before him.

However, their trip was cut short after the ship hit a rock just outside the harbor and capsized. At first William was saved, he boarded a lifeboat to go back to safety, but when he heard cries for help from his half sister Matilda. William ordered that they went back to save his sister, and when they approached her other passengers tried to board the lifeboat. The amount of people trying to board the lifeboat was overwhelming, and everyone, including William, drowned.

FitzStephen is said to either have killed himself after hearing that the prince died or to have drowned when the ship sank. The only survivor was Berold, a butcher from Rouen, who survived by wrapping himself in ram skins. After Henry heard the news that his son had died, it is said he never smiled again. 

The King lost his only legitimate son (in addition to two illegitimate children). He was unable to produce another male heir, so he forced his barons to swear an oath of alligence to his only legitimate child, Matilda. However, England had never been ruled by a woman before, so when Henry died on December 1st 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois seized the crown. This struggle for power resulted in the civil war known as the Anarchy.