Maud (Matilda) de Saint-Valéry

A question exists as to which of her father's two wives was Mathilde's mother. Both Charles Crawley of Medlands and Etienne Pattou of Racines et Histoires position her as a daughter of Bernard's second marriage, to Anora (Eleanore), although some sources (see below) position her as the child of his first wife, Mathilde, who died c 1151.

• https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2015/03/20/maud-de-braose-kin...

Maud de St. Valéry de Braose (c. 1150-1210) was the wife of William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord Bramber, a powerful Marcher baron and court favorite of King John of England. She would later incur the wrath and enmity of the King. She is also known in history as Matilda de Braose, Moll Wallbee, and Lady of La Haie.[1]

Life

She was born Maud de St.Valéry in France in about 1150, the child of Bernard de St. Valéry[2][3] and his first wife, Matilda [d. 1151, no primary source]. Her paternal grandfather was Reginald de St. Valery (died c.1162). ["November 30, 1155" is possibly a betrothal or baptismal date.]

She had many siblings and half-siblings, including Thomas de St. Valery (died 1219), who was a son of Bernard by his second wife Eleanor de Domnart. Thomas married Adele de Ponthieu, by whom he had a daughter, Annora, who in her turn married Robert III, Count of Dreux, by whom she had issue. Thomas fought on the French side, at the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214.[4]

Sometime around 1166, Maud married William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord of Bramber (1144/1153-9 August 1211), son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber and Bertha of Hereford de Pitres. He also held the lordships of Gower, Hay, Brecon, Radnor, Builth, Abergavenny, Kington, Pains Castle, Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle and Briouze in Normandy. When King John of England ascended the throne in 1199, he became a court favourite and was also awarded the lordship of Limerick, Ireland. Maud had a marriage portion, Tetbury from her father's estate.

Maud supported her husband's military ambitions and he put her in charge of Hay Castle and surrounding territory. She is often referred to in history as the Lady of Hay. In 1198, Maud defended Pains Castle in Elfael against a massive Welsh attack led by Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys. She successfully held off Gwenwynwyn's forces for three weeks until English reinforcements arrived. Over three thousand Welsh were killed. Pains Castle was known as Matilda's Castle by the locals.[5]

Maud and William are reputed to have had 16 children.[6] The best documented of these are listed below. https://historytheinterestingbits.com/2015/03/20/maud-de-braose-kin...

Children

William de Braose ([c. ]1175- 1210). Starved to death with his mother in Corfe Castle. Married Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford and Amice FitzRobert de Meullant of Gloucester, by whom he had issue, including John de Braose. [Probably born a few years earlier.]

Giles de Braose Bishop of Hereford (1180-11 November 1215) [Birth date too recent for him to make Bishop by 1200 - probably 1175 or earlier, and that's still requiring a lot of family "pull".]

Reginald de Braose, 9th Baron Abergavenny (1178-9 June 1228). Married firstly, Grecia de Briwere, daughter of William de Briwere and Beatrice de Vaux, and secondly, after 1222, Gwladus Ddu, daughter of Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great. Had issue by his first wife, including William de Braose, 10th Baron Abergavenny, who married Eva Marshal, and Matilda de Braose, who married Rhys Mechyll.

Matilda de Braose (1172- 29 December 1210). Married Gruffydd ap Rhys II, by whom she had two sons, Rhys and Owain.

Margaret de Braose (1177-after 1255). Married Walter de Lacy, Sixth Baron Lacey of Trim Castle, son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath and Rohese of Monmouth, by whom she had issue, including Gilbert de Lacy, Pernel de Lacy, and Egidia de Lacy.

Annora de Braose (1190-1241). Married Hugh de Mortimer

Loretta de Braose. Married Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester. Died without issue

John de Braose (c.1180-1205). Married Amabil de Limesi

Flandrina de Braose. Abbess of Godstow, (elected 1242, deposed 1248).

Emnity of King John

In 1208, William de Braose quarrelled with his friend and patron King John. The reason is not known but it is alleged that Maud made indiscreet comments regarding the murder of King John's nephew Arthur of Brittany. There was also a large sum of money (five thousand marks) de Braose owed the King. Whatever the reason, John demanded Maud's son William be sent to him as a hostage for her husband's loyalty. Maud refused, and stated loudly within earshot of the King's officers that "she would not deliver her children to a king who had murdered his own nephew."[7] Maud, upon realising her grave error, tried to make amends by sending Queen Isabella a herd of four hundred cattle. The King would not be mollified and quickly led a force to the Welsh border and seized all of the castles that belonged to William de Braose. Maud and her eldest son William fled to Ireland, where they found refuge at Trim Castle with the de Lacy's, the family of her daughter Margaret. In 1210, King John sent an expedition to Ireland. Maud and her son escaped but were apprehended on the Antrim coast while trying to sail for Scotland.[8][9] After being briefly held at Carrickfergus Castle, they were dispatched to England.

Corfe Castle

Maud and her son William were first imprisoned at Windsor Castle, but were shortly afterwards transferred to Corfe Castle where they were walled alive inside the dungeon. Maud and William both starved to death. Her husband died a year later in exile in France where he had gone disguised as a beggar to escape King John's wrath after the latter had declared him an outlaw, following his alliance with Llywelyn the Great, whom he had assisted in open rebellion against the King, an act which John regarded as treason. He was buried in St. Victor's Abbey, Paris.

Maud's daughter Margaret de Lacy founded a religious house, the Hospital of St. John, in Aconbury, Herefordshire in her memory.[10]On 10 October 1216, eight days before his death, King John conceded three carucates of land in the royal forest of Aconbury to Margaret for the construction of the religious house. He sent the instructions to Walter de Lacy, Sheriff of Hereford by letters patent.[11]

Maud de Braose features in many Welsh folklore myths and legends. There is one legend which says that Maud built the castle of Hay-on-Wye single handed in one night, carrying the stones in her apron.[12] She was also said to have been extremely tall and often donned armour while leading troops into battle.[13]

The legend about her building Hay Castle probably derives from the time she added the gateway arch to a tower which was built in the 1180s.[14]

In contemporary records, she was described as beautiful, very wise, doughty, and vigorous. She kept up the war against the Welsh and conquered much from them.[15]

The manner in which Maud and her son William met their deaths so outraged the English nobility that the Magna Carta which King John was forced to sign in 1215, contains clause 39 which reads as follows: No man shall be taken ,imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86930058/maud-de_braose

References

^ The Complete Peerage

^ Extract E:Histoire des Ducs de Normandie et des Rois d' Angleterre,ed. Francique Michel (Paris 1840)

^ Douglas Richardson, Kimball G. Everingham, Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, p.133

^ Xenophon Group, Military History Database

^ The Barons de Braose, Blood Feuds, by Lynda Denyer (History of Family de Braose website)

^ F.M. Powicke, "Loretta, Countess of Leicester" (Published in 'Historical Essays in Honour of James Tait', 1933)

^ Thomas B. Costain, The Conquering Family, page260-62

^ Costain, page262

^ History of Family of De Braose website

^ 'Histoire des Ducs de Normandie et des Rois d' Angleterre

^ Cambridge Journals, Cambridge University Press, retrieved 26 October 2008

^ History of Family de Braose website

^ Costain, page260

^ Mike Salter, Hay Castle

^ Histoire des Ducs de Normandie et des Rois d' Angleterre

Sources

Thomas B. Costain "The Conquering Family" Published by Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1962

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_de_Braose

------------------------------------------------

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMAN NOBILITY.htm

Daughter of Bernard de Saint-Valéry and his second wife Annora:

MATHILDE de Saint-Valéry (d. Corfe Castle 1210). The 13th century Histoire des ducs de Normandie et des rois d´Angleterre names "fille fu Bernart de Saint-Waleri…Mehaus" as the wife of "Guillaumes de Brayouse", commenting that she once boasted about her cows to "Bauduin le conte d´Aubemalle son neveu"[1065]. A manuscript which narrates the descents of the founders of Lanthony Abbey names “Matildis de S. Walerico, quondam uxoris Willielmi de Brewes” when recording the marriage of her daughter[1066]. "Willelmus de Braosa dominus de Brechen" donated property to Flaxley Abbey, Gloucestershire, for the souls of "uxoris meæ Matildis de Sancto Walerico et puerorum nostrorum", by undated charter, witnessed by "Willelmo et Philippo filiis meis"[1067]. The Annals of Waverley record that “Matildis matrona nobilis cognomento de la Haie, uxor Willelmi de Braose” was captured with “Willelmo filio suo milite…in Galwaitha” in 1210 and starved to death “apud Windeshores”[1068]. A manuscript which narrates the descents of the founders of Lanthony Abbey records that “Mathildis uxor eius et Willielmus filius eorum” (referring to William, son of “Willelmo Brewes” and his wife “Berta…comitis Milonis secunda filia”) were imprisoned by King John and died in prison[1069]. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Willelmum de Brause juniorem et sororem eius et Matildam matrem eius” were captured in Ireland in 1210 by King John, adding that they later died in prison[1070]. The 13th century Histoire des ducs de Normandie et des rois d´Angleterre records that "Mehaus sa feme [Guillaumes de Braiouse] et Guillaumes ses fils" fled from King John to Ireland where they were captured at "le castiel de Cracfergu", taken to England, and imprisoned at "el castiel del Corf" where they were starved to death[1071]. The question whether "Mathilde de Saint-Valéry" and "Mathilde de la Haie" refer to the same person appears to be resolved by the 13th century Histoire des ducs de Normandie et des rois d´Angleterre which records her parentage and the circumstances of her death in the same lengthy passage. m ([1170/75]%29 WILLIAM [III] de Briouse, son of WILLIAM [II] de Briouse Lord of Abergavenny, Briouse, Bramber, Brecon and Over-Gwent & his wife Berthe of Hereford (-Corbeil 9 Apr 1211, bur Paris, Saint-Victor).

-------------------------------------------------

    Maud de St. Valery married William de Briouze, son of William de Briouze and Bertha of Hereford.1 She died in 1210 at dungeons of Corfe, Windsor, Berkshire, England, starved to death.1

Maud de St. Valery also went by the nick-name of 'Lady of La Haie' de.1
Children of Maud de St. Valery and William de Briouze

1.William de Briouze+ d. 12101

2.Giles de Briouze d. 13 Nov 12151

3.Reynold de Briouze+ b. b 1188, d. bt 5 May 1227 - 9 Jun 12281

Citations

1.G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 22. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.

source: http://thepeerage.com/p10253.htm

---

---

The following is copied on many websites such as http://douglyn.co.uk/BraoseWeb/family/maudsv.html. The original source and writer are unclear:

Maud (Matilda) de Braose was also known as the Lady of la Haie and to the Welsh as Moll Walbee. Married to William de Braose, the "Ogre of Abergavenny", she was a significant warrior in her own right. Her long defence of Pain's Castle when it was besieged by the Welsh earned it the name "Matilda's Castle". The local people saw her as a supernatural character. She was said to have built Hay Castle (above) single handed in one night, carrying the stones in her apron.

When one fell out and lodged in her slipper she picked it out and flung it to land in St Meilig's churchyard, three miles away across the River Wye at Llowes. The nine-foot high standing stone (left) can still be seen inside the church.

The final fall of her husband may owe a lot to her hasty reply to King John when he requested her son William as a hostage in 1208. She refused on the grounds that John had murdered his nephew Arthur whom he should have protected. The dispute between John and the de Braoses led to Maud dying of starvation in the King's castle at Windsor along with her son, while her husband, stripped of all his lands, died the following year in exile in France.

Father: Bernard de St Valery (d.ca. 1190) (see note)

Mother: ???

Married to William de Braose, Lord of Brecknock, Bergavenny etc.

• Child 1: William de Braose
• Child 2: Maud (Susan) = Gruffyd ap Rhys
• Child 3: Giles, Bishop of Hereford
• Child 4: Roger
• Child 5: Philip
• Child 6: Bertha = William de Beauchamp
• Child 7: Thomas
• Child 8: Walter
• Child 9: John = Amabil de Limesi
• Child 10: Margaret = Walter de Lacy
• Child 11: Henry
• Child 12: Annora = Hugh de Mortimer
• Child 13: Loretta = Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester
• Child 14: Reginald de Braose
• Child 15: Flandrina, Abbess of Godstow
• Child 16: Bernard

This ordering of the children follows the Braose genealogy given in the 13th century MS

(British Library, Cotton Julius D, x) on the history of the Lords of Brecon.

Note. Matilda's parentage was uncertain for a long time. Many writers have suggested that she may have been a daughter of Reginald de St Valery. I recently discovered a reference to her in L'Histoire des Ducs de Normandie et des Rois d'Angleterre, ed. Francisque Michel (Paris, 1840), written in the 13th century which describes her as a "daughter of Bernard de St Valery". This appears to have finally settled the matter.

See a copy of the post to soc.genealogy.medieval which gives more detail:

From: Doug Thompson (doug.thompson@virgin.net) Subject: Parentage of Matilda de Braose (St Valery) - "new" evidence. Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.medieval Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 19:50:11

Back in August Tim Powys-Lybbe asked:

I can't find any reference to connect Maud to No 46.(Bernard de St. Valery.) Can you assist?

To which John Ravilious replied:

Concerning the identification of Maud de St. Valery as daughter of Bernard, this is based somewhat on onomastic evidence (cf. St. Valery names - Reginald, Maud, Lauretta/Loretta introduced into de Braose line with Maud's children) and largely on the identification of Tetbury, co. Gloucs. - a holding of Bernard de St. Valery - as the maritagium of Maud.

And some sources give Reginald de St Valery as Maud's father.

However I recently came across a "new" piece of evidence. (About 750 years old actually!)

In the 13th century Histoire des Ducs de Normandie et des Rois d'Angleterre, there is a piece about Maud de St Valery. It is translated on Dr Helen Nicholson's website - see her site

In this extract the author clearly states "she was daughter of Bernard de St-Valéry".

The Histoire is thought to have been written in the mid 13th century and appears to be by someone who was familiar with the people he wrote about.

I believe this removes any further doubt about the father of Maud.

I welcome any comments.

Doug Thompson

---

Maud's long defense of Pain's Castle when it was beseiged by the Welsh earned it the name "Matilda's Castle."

Maud de St. Valéry was also known as the Lady of la Haie and to the Welsh as Moll Walbee. She is said, by the local people who saw her as a supernatural character, to have built Hay Castle single handed in one night, carrying the stones in her apron at Hay-on-Wye, Welsh Marches, England.

Maud married William "the Ogre of Abergavenny," 4th Lord of Bramber, 5th Baron Braose, son of William de Braose, 3rd Baron Bramber and Bertha de Pîtres, before 1175.

Maud refused to give up her son, William, to King John as a hostage. She refused on the grounds that John had murdered his nephew Arthur whom he should have protected, in 1208. She died in 1210 at Corfe, Windsor, England--murdered by King John, who had her walled up alive in her castle walls with young William.

See "My Lines"

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/p384.htm#i6760 )

from Compiler: R. B. Stewart, Evans, GA

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/index.htm )

---

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maud_de_Braose

---

Lady of Hay

Immured by King John

---

Imprisoned, along with her son William, & starved to death.

Sources:

The book, 'The Europa Biographical Dictionary of British Women'

The book, 'The Thomas Book'

---

Maud de Braose (1155-1210) was the wife of William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord Bramber, a powerful Marcher baron and court favourite of King John of England. She would later incur the wrath and emnity of the King. She is also known in history as Matilda de Braose, Moll Wallbee, and Lady of La Haie

She was born Maud de St.Valéry in France in about 1155, the child of Bernard de St. Valéry and his first wife, Matilda. Her paternal grandfather was Reginald de St. Valery (died c.1162).

She had many siblings and half-siblings, including Thomas de St. Valery (died 1219), who was a son of Bernard by his second wife Eleanor de Domnart. Thomas married Adele de Ponthieu, by whom he had a daughter, Annora, who in her turn married Robert III, Count of Dreux, by whom she had issue. Thomas fought on the French side, at the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214.

Sometime around 1166, Maud married William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord of Bramber (1144/1153-9 August 1211), son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber and Bertha of Hereford de Pitres. He also held the lordships of Gower, Hay, Brecon, Radnor, Builth, Abergavenny, Kington, Pains Castle, Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle and Briouze in Normandy. When King John of England ascended the throne in 1199, he became a court favourite and was also awarded the lordship of Limerick, Ireland. Maud had a marriage portion, Tetbury from her father's estate.

Maud supported her husband's military ambitions and he put her in charge of Hay Castle and surrounding territory. She is often referred to in history as the Lady of Hay. In 1198, Maud defended Pains Castle in Elfael against a massive Welsh attack led by Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys. She successfully held off Gwenwynwyn's forces for three weeks until English reinforcements arrived. Over three thousand Welsh were killed. Pains Castle was known as Matilda's Castle by the locals.

Maud and William are reputed to have had 16 children. The best documented of these are listed below.

Children

William de Braose (1175- 1210). Starved to death with his mother in Corfe Castle. Married Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford and Amice FitzRobert de Meullant of Gloucester, by whom he had issue, including John de Braose.

Giles de Braose Bishop of Hereford (1180-11 November 1215)

Reginald de Braose, 9th Baron Abergavenny (1178-9 June 1228). Married firstly, Grecia de Briwere, daughter of William de Briwere and Beatrice de Vaux, and secondly, after 1222, Gwladus Ddu, daughter of Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great. Had issue by his first wife, including William de Braose, 10th Baron Abergavenny, who married Eva Marshal, and Matilda de Braose, who married Rhys Mechyll.

Matilda de Braose (1172- 29 December 1210). Married Gruffydd ap Rhys II, by whom she had two sons, Rhys and Owain.

Margaret de Braose (1177-after 1255). Married Walter de Lacy, Sixth Baron Lacey of Trim Castle, son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath and Rohese of Monmouth, by whom she had issue, including Gilbert de Lacy, Pernel de Lacy, and Egidia de Lacy.

Annora de Braose (1190-1241). Married Hugh de Mortimer

Loretta de Braose. Married Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester. Died without issue

John de Braose (c.1180-1205). Married Amabil de Limesi

Flandrina de Braose. Abbess of Godstow, (elected 1242, deposed 1248).

---

Lady Maud de St. Valery was born on c. 1155 in France to Bernard de St. Valery and Matilda MNU de St. Valery. Maud married William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber on c. 1166 and had 9 children: William de Braose; Giles de Braose, Bishop of Hereford; Reginald de Braose; Matilda de Braose; Margaret de Braose; Annora de Braose; Loretta de Braose; john de Braose; and Flandrina de Braose, Abbess of Godstow. She passed away of starvation on 1210 in Corfe Castle dungeon, Dorset, England.

Lady Maud de St. Valery de Braose is my 28th great aunt.

---

Maud de St. Valéry de Braose (1155-1210) was the wife of William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord Bramber, a powerful Marcher baron and court favourite of King John of England. She would later incur the wrath and emnity of the King. She is also known in history as Matilda de Braose, Moll Wallbee, and Lady of La Haie.[1]

Life

She was born Maud de St.Valéry in France in about 1155, the child of Bernard de St. Valéry[2][3] and his first wife, Matilda. Her paternal grandfather was Reginald de St. Valery (died c.1162).

She had many siblings and half-siblings, including Thomas de St. Valery (died 1219), who was a son of Bernard by his second wife Eleanor de Domnart. Thomas married Adele de Ponthieu, by whom he had a daughter, Annora, who in her turn married Robert III, Count of Dreux, by whom she had issue. Thomas fought on the French side, at the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214.[4]

Sometime around 1166, Maud married William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny, 4th Lord of Bramber (1144/1153-9 August 1211), son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber and Bertha of Hereford de Pitres. He also held the lordships of Gower, Hay, Brecon, Radnor, Builth, Abergavenny, Kington, Pains Castle, Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle and Briouze in Normandy. When King John of England ascended the throne in 1199, he became a court favourite and was also awarded the lordship of Limerick, Ireland. Maud had a marriage portion, Tetbury from her father's estate.

Maud supported her husband's military ambitions and he put her in charge of Hay Castle and surrounding territory. She is often referred to in history as the Lady of Hay. In 1198, Maud defended Pains Castle in Elfael against a massive Welsh attack led by Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys. She successfully held off Gwenwynwyn's forces for three weeks until English reinforcements arrived. Over three thousand Welsh were killed. Pains Castle was known as Matilda's Castle by the locals.[5]

Maud and William are reputed to have had 16 children.[6] The best documented of these are listed below.

Children

William de Braose (1175- 1210). Starved to death with his mother in Corfe Castle. Married Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford and Amice FitzRobert de Meullant of Gloucester, by whom he had issue, including John de Braose.

Giles de Braose Bishop of Hereford (1180-11 November 1215)

Reginald de Braose, 9th Baron Abergavenny (1178-9 June 1228). Married firstly, Grecia de Briwere, daughter of William de Briwere and Beatrice de Vaux, and secondly, after 1222, Gwladus Ddu, daughter of Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great. Had issue by his first wife, including William de Braose, 10th Baron Abergavenny, who married Eva Marshal, and Matilda de Braose, who married Rhys Mechyll.

Matilda de Braose (1172- 29 December 1210). Married Gruffydd ap Rhys II, by whom she had two sons, Rhys and Owain.

Margaret de Braose (1177-after 1255). Married Walter de Lacy, Sixth Baron Lacey of Trim Castle, son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath and Rohese of Monmouth, by whom she had issue, including Gilbert de Lacy, Pernel de Lacy, and Egidia de Lacy.

Annora de Braose (1190-1241). Married Hugh de Mortimer

Loretta de Braose. Married Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester. Died without issue

John de Braose (c.1180-1205). Married Amabil de Limesi

Flandrina de Braose. Abbess of Godstow, (elected 1242, deposed 1248).

Emnity of King John

---

In 1208, Margaret's parents lost favor with their patron, King John of England, who seized all of the de Braose castles in the Welsh Marches.

In order to escape from John's vindictive wrath, Margaret's mother, Maud and her eldest brother William fled to Ireland where they found refuge with Margaret and her family at Trim Castle.

In 1210, however, King John sent an expedition to Ireland. Maud and William escaped from Trim but were apprehended on the Antrim coast while attempting to sail to Scotland.[3]
They were dispatched to England where they were both left to starve to death inside the dungeon of Corfe Castle, Dorset on the orders of King John. Walter de Lacy's estates were forfeited to the Crown as punishment for having harbored traitors inside his castle.