Maud le Vavasour and her husband are the people whom the legend of Robin Hood and Maid Marian is based—or at least a part of legend.
Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler (d. before 1226) was an Anglo-Norman heiress and the wife of Fulk FitzWarin, a medieval landed gentleman who was forced to become an outlaw in the early 13th century. Part of the legend of Robin Hood might be based on him.
By her first marriage to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler, Maud was the ancestress of the Butler Earls of Ormond.
Maud le Vavasour was the daughter of Robert le Vavasour, deputy sheriff of Lancashire (1150–1227), and his first wife, an unnamed daughter of Adam de Birkin. She had a half-brother, Sir John le Vavasour who married Alice Cockfield, by whom he had issue. Maud's paternal grandfather was William le Vavasour, Lord of Hazlewood, and Justiciar of England. Her maternal grandfather was Adam fitz Peter of Birkin.
Maud was heiress to properties in Edlington, Yorkshire and Narborough in Leicestershire.
She is a matrilineal ancestor of Anne Boleyn, Queen of England and second wife to King Henry VIII of England. In or shortly before 1200, Maud married her first husband Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler (died February 1206), son of Hervey Walter and Maud de Valoignes, and went to live in Ireland. His brother Hubert Walter was Archbishop of Canterbury.
Following the death of Theobald in early February 1206, Maud returned to England into the custody of her father, who, having bought the right of marrying her at the price of 1200 marks and two palfreys, gave her in marriage by October 1207, to Fulk FitzWarin. Fulk was the son of Fulk FitzWarin and Hawise de Dinan, who subsequent to a violent quarrel with King John of England, was deprived of his lands and property by the vengeful king. Fulk then sought refuge in the woods and became an outlaw, with Maud having accompanied him. The legendary figures of Robin Hood and Maid Marian are said to be based on Fulk and Maud. Maud died in 1226 and Fulke III married again to Clarice D'Auberville.
By FitzWarin, Maud had two sons and three daughters: Fulk IV, Fulk Glas, Hawise, wife of William Pantulf, Joanna, Mabel. (posted by Ky White)
