| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY
Maud was the daughter of Robert de Caen, 1st earl of Gloucester, an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England, and Mabel FitzHamon of Gloucester. About 1141 she married Ranulph de Meschines, 2nd earl of Chester, son of Ranulph de Meschines, 1st earl of Chester, vicomte de Bayeux, and Lucia of Alkborough. They had four children, of whom Hugh and Joanna would have progeny.
In January 1141 Ranulph and Maud were at Lincoln Castle when it was besieged by the forces of King Stephen. The following month a relief army loyal to Empress Matilda and led by Maud's father 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, Maud's father compelled Ranulph to swear fealty to Empress Matilda, who was Robert's half-sister.
On 29 August 1146 Ranulph was seized by King Stephen at court in Northampton. Stephen later granted him the castle and city of Lincoln sometime after 1151.
Ranulph died on 16 December 1153, possibly from the effect of poisoning. One account contains an unsubstantiated rumour that Maud was implicated in the poisoning of her husband by his enemy William Peverel of Nottingham, but there is no evidence of her involvement. Ranulph confirmed her grant to one of her servants, probably on his deathbed. She served as her minor son Hugh's guardian for nine years.
Maud was an important patron of Repton Priory in Derbyshire. She also made grants to Belvoir Priory.
The _Rotuli de Dominabus_ of 1185 records property _Wadinto de feodo comitis Cestrie,_ held by Maud as countess of Chester. Although she was said to be about 50 years of age in the document, she was probably closer to 60 in that year.
Maud died on 29 July 1189, although the Annals of Tewkesbury record her death in 1190.
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Est 1123 - 1189 (~ 66 years)
Siblings
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