King Stephen had declared that if Roger demanded half of the kingdom he should have it, but has chafed against the overwhelming influence of the official clique that Roger represents.

Roger himself has built at Devizes the most splendid castle in Christendom.

He and his nephews seem to have secured a number of castles outside their own dioceses, and the old bishop behaves as if he were an equal of the King.

Stephen at a council held in June 1139 finds a pretext for demanding a surrender of their castles, and on their refusal they are arrested.

After a short struggle all Roger's great castles are sequestrated, but Henry of Winchester demands the restoration of the bishop.

Young Geoffrey de Mandeville, during or soon after during his father's rebellion against King Stephen 1143-1144, had been sent or made his way to Devizes, a base of the Empress Matilda.

After the earl's death, the empress recognizes the right of Geoffrey III to the earldom of Essex and the vast Mandeville holdings.

His whereabouts during the remaining years of King Stephen's reign are unknown.