Ranulph le Meschin, 1st Earl of Chester

Ranulph le Meschin ,"le Briquessart", Earl of Chester, Lord of Cumberland?, Vicomte of Bayeux, Vicomte d'Avranches, b. ca. 1074, Briquessart, Livry, France, d. Jan 1128-1129, Cheshire, England.
After the Norman conquest of the North of England, he received large grants, including the honor of Appleby, and the city of Carlisle. Some have maintained that he was earl of Carlisle or of Cumberland, but this is probably an error.

Ranulph also became the largest landholder in Lindsey due to his marriage to a woman referred to as "Countess Lucy". Her parentage, and who else she married, have been much disputed.

He was created Earl of Chester in 1121.

Spouse:

• m. Lucy, in about 1093, (1079-1138), daughter of (poss) Turold, Sheriff of Lincoln , and (prob) daughter of William Malet, Seigneur de Graville.

Children:

• Sir Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester, (1100-1153).
• Adelize/Alice de Gernon, (1102-1128).
  • m. Sir Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, Lord of Clare, 1st Earl of Hertford in 1116.

Parents:

• Ranulph II of Bayeux, Vicomte of Bayeux,(1048-1129).
• Margaret/Maud d'Avranches.

Preceded by: New Creation

Earl of Chester

Followed by: Ranulph de Gernon

References

• Cyril Hurt, "William Malet and His Family," Anglo-Norman Studies XIX
• K. S. B. Keats-Rohan, "Antecessor Noster: The Parentage of Countess Lucy Made Plain", Prosopon, issue 2