Maud of Gloucester
Encyclopedia
Maud of Gloucester, Countess of Chester (died 29 July 1190), also known as Maud FitzRobert, was an Anglo-Norman
noblewoman, and the daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
, an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England
. Her husband was Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, whom she allegedly poisoned with the assistance of William Peverel
of Nottingham
.
. She had seven siblings including William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester
and Roger, Bishop of Worcester
. She also had an illegitimate half-brother, Richard, Bishop of Bayeux, whom her father sired by Isabel de Douvres.
Her paternal grandparents were King Henry I of England and his mistress, Sybil Corbet. Her maternal grandparents were Robert FitzHamon
, Lord of Gloucester
and Glamorgan
, and Sybil de Montgomery, daughter of Roger de Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel Talvas of Belleme.
earldom.
Shortly after their marriage, in January 1141, Maud was besieged at Lincoln Castle
by the forces of King Stephen of England
. A relief army, loyal to Empress Matilda
and led by her father, defeated the King in the fierce fighting which followed, which became known as the First Battle of Lincoln
. In return for his help in repelling the King's troops, Maud's father compelled Ranulf to swear fealty to his half-sister Matilda. Ranulf was seized by King Stephen at court in Northampton
on 29 August 1146. Stephen later granted him the castle and city of Lincoln sometime after 1151.
Together Ranulf and Maud had three children:
Ranulf had an illegitimate son, Robert FitzCount (died before 1166), by an unknown mistress. His date of birth was not recorded. Robert married as her second husband, Agnes FitzNeel.
On 16 December 1153, Maud allegedly poisoned her husband with the assistance of William Peverel of Nottingham. In 1172, she founded Repton Priory in Derbyshire
.
The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records property Wadinton de feodo comitis Cestrie, held by Maud, Countess of Chester.
Maud died on 29 July 1190. The Annals of Tewkesbury records the death in 1190 of Maud, Countess of Chester.
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
noblewoman, and the daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester
Robert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was called "Rufus" and occasionally "de Caen", he is also known as Robert "the Consul"...
, an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
. Her husband was Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, whom she allegedly poisoned with the assistance of William Peverel
William Peverel the Younger
William "the Younger" Peverel was the son of William Peverel. He lived in Nottingham, England.He married Avicia de Lancaster in La Marche, Normandy, France. She was the daughter of Roger "The Poitevin" Montgomery and Countess Almodis of La Marche. In 1114, she bore a daughter, Margaret Peverel...
of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
.
Family
Lady Maud FitzRobert was born on an unknown date, the daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester and Mabel FitzHamon of GloucesterMabel FitzHamon of Gloucester
Mabel FitzHamon of Gloucester, Countess of Gloucester was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman, and a wealthy heiress who brought the lordship of Gloucester, among other prestigious honours to her husband, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester upon their marriage...
. She had seven siblings including William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester
William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester
William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester was the son and heir of Sir Robert de Caen, 1st Earl of Gloucester, and Mabel FitzHamon of Gloucester, daughter of Robert Fitzhamon.- Lineage :...
and Roger, Bishop of Worcester
Roger of Worcester
Roger of Worcester was Bishop of Worcester from 1164 to 1179. He had a major role in the controversy between Henry II of England, who was Roger's cousin, and Archbishop Thomas Becket.-Life:...
. She also had an illegitimate half-brother, Richard, Bishop of Bayeux, whom her father sired by Isabel de Douvres.
Her paternal grandparents were King Henry I of England and his mistress, Sybil Corbet. Her maternal grandparents were Robert FitzHamon
Robert Fitzhamon
Robert Fitzhamon , or Robert FitzHamon, Sieur de Creully in the Calvados region and Torigny in the Manche region of Normandy, was Lord of Gloucester and the Norman conqueror of Glamorgan, southern Wales...
, Lord of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, and Sybil de Montgomery, daughter of Roger de Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel Talvas of Belleme.
Marriage and issue
Sometime before 1141, Lady Maud married Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester. She assumed the title of Countess of Chester upon her marriage. Her husband had considerable autonomy in his palatinePalatine
A palatine or palatinus is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times...
earldom.
Shortly after their marriage, in January 1141, Maud was besieged at Lincoln Castle
Lincoln Castle
Lincoln Castle is a major castle constructed in Lincoln, England during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex...
by the forces of King Stephen of England
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
. A relief army, loyal to Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
and led by her father, defeated the King in the fierce fighting which followed, which became known as the First Battle of Lincoln
Battle of Lincoln (1141)
The Battle of Lincoln or First Battle of Lincoln occurred on 2 February 1141. In it Stephen of England was captured, imprisoned and effectively deposed while Empress Matilda ruled for a short time.-Account:...
. In return for his help in repelling the King's troops, Maud's father compelled Ranulf to swear fealty to his half-sister Matilda. Ranulf was seized by King Stephen at court in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
on 29 August 1146. Stephen later granted him the castle and city of Lincoln sometime after 1151.
Together Ranulf and Maud had three children:
- Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester (1147- 30 June 1181), married Bertrade de Montfort of Évreux, by whom he had five children, including Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, Maud of ChesterMaud of ChesterMatilda of Chester, Countess of Huntingdon was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman, sometimes known as Maud and sometimes known with the surname de Kevelioc. She was a daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester, and the wife of David of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon...
, and Hawise of Chester, 1st Countess of LincolnHawise of Chester, 1st Countess of LincolnHawise of Chester, 1st Countess of Lincoln suo jure , was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman and a wealthy heiress. Her father was Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester. She was the sister and a co-heiress of Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester. She was created suo jure 1st Countess of Lincoln in 1232...
. - Richard of Chester (died 1170/1175), buried in CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. - Beatrice of Chester, married Raoul de Malpas
- Ranulf of Chester, fought in the siege of Lisbon, granted with the lordship of AzambujaAzambujaAzambuja is a Portuguese municipality in Lisbon District, in the historical region of Ribatejo with a total area of 262.7 km² and a total population of 20,838 inhabitants...
by Afonso I of Portugal.
Ranulf had an illegitimate son, Robert FitzCount (died before 1166), by an unknown mistress. His date of birth was not recorded. Robert married as her second husband, Agnes FitzNeel.
On 16 December 1153, Maud allegedly poisoned her husband with the assistance of William Peverel of Nottingham. In 1172, she founded Repton Priory in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records property Wadinton de feodo comitis Cestrie, held by Maud, Countess of Chester.
Maud died on 29 July 1190. The Annals of Tewkesbury records the death in 1190 of Maud, Countess of Chester.