Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler

Maud le Vavasour (24 June 1176- before 1226) was the wife of Fulk FitzWarin, a medieval landed gentleman who was forced to become an outlaw in the early 13th century. The legend of Robin Hood is allegedly based on him.

By her first marriage to Theobald le Botiller FitzWalter, Maud is the ancestress of the Butler Earls of Ormond.

Family

Maud le Vavasour was born on 24 June 1176 in Yorkshire to Robert le Vavasour, High Sheriff of Lancashire and his first wife Juliana de Ros, daughter of Gilbert de Ros. She had a brother Sir John le Vavasour who married Alice Cockfield, by whom he had issue. Maud's paternal grandparents were William le Vavasour, Lord of Hazelwood and Matilda Perry.

Marriages and children

In 1199, Maud married her first husband Theobald le Botiller FitzWalter (died 1206), son of Hervey Walter and Maud de Valoignes, and went to live in Ireland. Theobald and Maud had three children:

1. Theobald le Botiller, chief Butler of Ireland (1200- 19 July 1230), who married firstly Joan du Marais and had issue, from whom descend the Earls of Ormond, and secondly Rohese de Verdon, by whom he had further issue.
2. Maud le Botiller
3. Beatrice le Botiller

Following the death of Theobald in 1206, Maud returned to England, and on 1 October 1207, married her second husband Fulk FitzWarin, who subsequent to a violent quarrel with King John of England, sought refuge in the woods and became an outlaw. Maud accompanied him.

By FitzWarin, Maud had a daughter:

1. Mabel FitzWarin, who married John de Tregose, by whom she had issue.

Death

Maud le Vavasour died sometime before 1226. She had numerous descendants including Anne Boleyn.

In fiction

Maud is the main protagonist in Elizabeth Chadwick's The White Castle, which relates in fictional form, her life and adventures as the wife of Fulk FitzWarin.

References

1. www.Tudorplace.com.ar/Vavasour
2. [1]