Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester, 2nd Earl of Chester, was born circa 1094 to Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester (−1101) and died 25 November 1120 White Ship Disaster of drowning. He married Maud of Blois (c1097-1120) 1115 JL .
Biography
Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester was the son of Hugh, 1st Earl of Chester and Ermentrude of Clermont.
Early life
He was seven years old when his father, known as Hugh the Fat, died. Due to his age, a stewardship would have ruled until he was old enough. He probably became Earl of Chester in 1107. He married Lucia-Mahaut (aka: Maud of Blois (c1097-1120)), daughter of Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy, daughter of William the Conqueror.
Military career
At the age of twenty, in 1114, Richard was on military campaign and was styled the Earl of Chester. Together with King Alexander of Scotland, he led an Anglo-Norman army into Gwynedd as part of a three-pronged campaign organised by Henry I of England against Gwynedd, and Gruffudd ap Cynan. Gruffudd, rather than risk battle, satisfied the King with an oath of homage and a suitable fine. The campaign soon fizzled out, and Richard returned to Chester.
White Ship Disaster
Doomed ship founders on Quilleboeuf Rock
The White Ship was a vessel that sank in the English Channel near the Normandy coast off Barfleur, on 25 Novemeber 1120. Only one of those aboard survived. Those who drowned included William Adelin, the only legitimate son and heir of King Henry I of England, his half-sister Matilda, and his half-brother Richard. This tragedy caused a major succession crisis for the House of Normandy.
The line of the d'Avranches as Earls of Chester failed when Richard, his wife, and his illegitimate half-brother Ottuel, joined the young William Adelin, heir to the English King Henry aboard the doomed White Ship. The ship went down, drowning all but one boy, in the year 1120. Richard died aged twenty-six, leaving no issue. His wife Lucia-Mahaut and half-brother Ottuel also died in the tragedy.
Earldom Succession
The earldom then passed through his father Hugh's sister Maud to Richard's first cousin Ranulph I, in 1121, because Hugh had no other suitable male heirs.
Siblings
References