Individual Details

Mabille "Mabel" Talvas

(1026 - 2 Dec 1079)

Sources for Mabel Talvas
1 Wikipedia, "Maud of Gloucester, Countess of Chester", (accessed 02/23/2010).
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From FindAGrave

Birth: 1026
Alencon
Departement de l'Orne
Basse-Normandie, France
Death: Dec. 2, 1079
Bures-sur-Dives
Departement du Calvados
Basse-Normandie, France

Mabel Talvas de Montgomery

Daughter of and heiress to William II Talvas and his first wife Hildeburge, daughter of Arnulf. She was the granddaughter of William de Talvas and Mathilde de Ganelon. Mabille or Mabel Talvas was born at Alencon, Bell, France.

She became the wife of Roger de Montgomerie, the Earl of Arundel, and son of Hugh Montgomery and Joscelina de Torfulus. They married in between 1060 and 1054 in Perche and had the following children:
* Roger de Montgomery, died young
* Robert d' Alencon married Agnes of Ponthieu
* Hugh Montgomery, Earl of Chester, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury
* Roger de Montgomerie married Almodis de la Marche
* Amicia Montgomery (questionable)
* Arnulph de Montgomery married Lafracota daughter of Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster
* Maud de Montgomery married Robert de Mortain
* Sybil de Montgomery married Robert FitzHamon, Lord of Thoringni
* Mabel married Hugh of Châteauneuf
* Philip d'Montgomery died 1099 on the first Crusade
* Emma, abbess of Almenchêches

Mabel was not a very large person, but extremely cruel, following in her father's footsteps, who had her mother killed on the way to church as she would not support her husband's evil ways. When her father was exiled by his son for his acts, William and Mabel wandered until taken in by the Montgomery family, whose son agreed to marry Mabel in exchange for the Talvas lands William had lost. Roger de Montgomery was already a favorite of Duke William's (William the Conqueror) yet remained behind in Normandy during the conquest as co-regent along with William's wife, Matilda of Flanders. He contributed 60 ships to the invasion, joined the King in 1067 and was handsomely rewarded with the Earldom of Shropshire and so much land he became one of the largest landowners in the Domesday Book.

Mabel is considered to be one of the most evil, cunning and vicious women in history, readily and repeatedly plotting against others for her gain. Her wickedness to cruel excess caused many a noble to become penniless.

One of her victims was Hugh de la Roche, whom she had deprived of the inheritance of the lands of his father. With his three brothers, they forced their way into her chamber at Bures and severed her head from her body as she lay in bed after having taken a bath.

Mabel Talvas de Montgomery died on 2 December 1079 at Chateau de Bures-sur-Dives, France, buried in Troarn, Normandy at the Abbey Troarn.

Family links:
Spouse:
Roger de Montgomery (1022 - 1094)

Children:
Maud Montgomery Mortain (1041 - 1085)*
Roger de Montgomery (1054 - 1123)*
Sybil Montgomery FitzHamon (1058 - 1107)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial:
Abbey of Troarn
Troarn
Departement du Calvados
Basse-Normandie, France

Maintained by: Anne Shurtleff Stevens
Originally Created by: Audrey DeCamp Hoffman
Record added: Jun 04, 2012
Find A Grave Memorial# 91338293

Events

Birth1026Alencon, Departement de l'Orne, Basse-Normandie, France
Death2 Dec 1079Bures-sur-Dives, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France
BurialTroarn, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France

Families

SpouseRoger Montgomery (1022 - 1094)
ChildSybil Montgomery (1058 - 1107)