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Birth:          1120 of Gloucestershire, England
Death:          29 Jul 1189 Chester, Cheshire, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_of_Gloucester,_Countess_of_Chester
Maud of Gloucester, Countess of Chester (died 29 July 1189), also known as Matilda, 
was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman and the daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, 
an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England and Mabel, daughter of Robert fitz 
Hamon.[1] Her husband was Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester (died Dec. 16, 
1153).[2]
Family[edit]

Lady Maud FitzRobert was born on an unknown date, the daughter of Robert, 1st Earl 
of Gloucester and Mabel FitzHamon of Gloucester. 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.

Marriage and issue[edit]

Sometime before 1141, possibly as early as 1135, Matilda married Ranulf de Gernon, 
4th Earl of Chester, and was accorded the title of Countess of Chester. Her husband 
had considerable autonomy in his palatine earldom.

In January 1141, Earl Ranulf and Countess Matilda were at Lincoln Castle when it was 
besieged by the forces of King Stephen of England. The following month, a relief army 
loyal to Empress Matilda and led by her father Robert earl of Gloucester defeated and 
captured the king in the fierce fighting, later known as the First Battle of Lincoln. In 
return for his help in repelling the king's troops, the countess's father compelled her 
husband to swear fealty to Empress Matilda, who was Earl Robert's half-sister.

On August 29, 1146, Earl Ranulf was seized by King Stephen at court in Northampton. 
Stephen later granted him the castle and city of Lincoln sometime after 1151.[3]

Children[edit]
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 Chester, and Hawise of Chester, 1st Countess of Lincoln.
possibly Richard of Chester (died 1170/1175), buried in Coventry.
Beatrice of Chester, married Raoul de Malpas
possibly Ranulf of Chester, fought in the siege of Lisbon, granted the lordship of 
Azambuja 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 Agnes fitz Neal as her 
second husband.

One account contains an unsubstantiated rumor that Countess Maud poisoned her 
husband with the assistance of William Peverel of Nottingham, but there is no 
evidence that she did so; Earl Ranulf confirmed her grant to one of her servants, 
probably on his deathbed.[4] She served as her minor son's guardian for nine years.

She was an important patron of Repton Priory in Derbyshire.[5] She also made grants 
to Belvoir Priory.

The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records property Wadinton de feodo comitis Cestrie, 
held by Maud, Countess of Chester.[3] Although she was said to be about 50 years of 
age in that document, she was probably closer to 60 in that year.

Maud died on 29 July 1189, although the Annals of Tewkesbury records her death in 
1190.[3]

Parents
DE CAEN Robert "The King's Son" (1090 - 31 Oct 1147)
FITZ HAMON Maud (Mabel) (Sibyl) (1090 - 29 Sep 1157)

Siblings
FITZ ROBERT William "Mafonache" (ABT 23 Nov 1116 - 23 Nov 1183)
OF GLOUCESTER Christiana (ABT 1118 - )
FITZ ROBERT Maud (1120 - 29 Jul 1189)

Marriage To LE MESCHIN Ranulph "de Gernon" (1099 - 16 Dec 1153)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
LE MESCHIN Ranulph "De Briquessart" (ABT 1070 - Jan 1129)
OF MERCIA Lucy (Lucia) (ABT 1071 - 1141)

Children by LE MESCHIN Ranulph "de Gernon" 1099 - 16 Dec 1153
DE MESCHINES HUGH OF KEVELIOC (1147 - 30 Jun 1181)

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