Take a step back to 1135 where Henry the First has just passed. With no male heir to reign in his stead his daughter Empress Matilda felt she should rule by succession though the king's favourite nephew, Stephen de Blois ("blue-a"), was quicker to claim the throne, and with the help of his brother, the Bishop of Winchester, was crowned king.
 
Those loyal to the empress were enraged by Stephen's coronation and would not accept him as their new ruler. Over the next eighteen years, England saw a breakdown in law and order as civil war spread throughout the country. This conflict came to be known as "The Anarchy"...
 
In The Anarchy, players take on the role of English nobles loyal to King Stephen. Over five rounds, players must build their domain, defend their castle from attacks by the approaching Angevin armies, and storm strongholds loyal to Matilda with their own crafted siege weapons. The player who can accumulate the most bravery, loyalty, influence and might, while avoiding discontent, will prove to King Stephen they are his most loyal ally, thereby earning his largest earldom.