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Birth:          ABT 1024 of Alencon,  Normandy,
Death:          2 Dec 1079 Bures Castle (Chateau de Bures-sur-Dives)
Cause of Death: murdered
Burial:         5 Dec 1082 Abbey of Troarn, Eure, France

Notes
heiress of Belleme and Alencon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_de_Bell%C3%AAme
Mabel de Bellême (a.k.a. Mabel Talvas) (died 1079), Dame de Alençon, de Séez, and 
Bellême, Countess of Shrewsbury and Lady of Arundel. She was a member of the 
House of Bellême.
Life[edit]

Mabel was the daughter of William I Talvas and his first wife Hildeburg.[1] She was 
the heiress of her father’s estates, her half-brother Oliver apparently being excluded.
[2] She also inherited the remainder of the Belleme honor in 1070 at the death of her 
uncle Yves, Bishop of Séez and Lord of Bellême.[3] When their father was exiled by 
her brother Arnulf in 1048 she accompanied him until both were taken in by the 
Montgomery family. Between 1050-1054 she married Roger II de Montgomery, later 1st 
Earl of Shrewsbury.[4] Roger II de Montgomery was already a favorite of Duke William 
and by being given the marriage to Mabel it increased his fortunes even further.[5]

Her husband Roger had not participated in the Norman conquest of England but had 
remained behind in Normandy as co-regent along with William's wife, Matilda of 
Flanders.[6] He had also contributed 60 ships to Duke William's invasion force.[7] He 
joined the king in England in 1067 and was rewarded with the earldom of Shropshire 
and a number of estates to the point that he was one of the largest landholders in the 
Domesday Book.[1]

She and her husband Roger transferred the church of Saint-Martin of Séez to Evroul 
and petitioned her uncle, Yves, Bishop of Séez to build a monastery there on lands 
from her estates. The consecration was in 1061 at which time Mabel made additional 
gifts.[8]

Her character[edit]

Of all of Orderic’s female subjects Mabel was the most cunning and treacherous; if not 
entirely for her own misdeeds then as the mother of Robert de Bellême, who had a 
reputation for savagery as well as cruelty.[9] In one passage Orderic describes her as 
"small, very talkative, ready enough to do evil, shrewd and jocular, extremely cruel 
and daring."[2]

In perpetuating her family’s feud with the Giroie family she set her sights on Arnold de 
Echauffour, the son of William fitz Giroie who her father had mutilated at his wedding 
celebration.[a] She obtained part of his estates when she and her husband Roger 
convinced Duke William to confiscate his lands. In 1063 however, Arnold was 
promised forgiveness by the Duke and was to have his lands restored. To prevent this 
Mabel plotted to kill Arnold.[10] She attempted to murder Arnold of Echauffour by 
poisoning a glass of wine but he declined to drink. Her husband's brother, refreshing 
himself after a long ride, drank the wine and died shortly thereafter. In the end though 
she bribed Arnold's chamberlain providing him with the necessary poison, this time 
being successful.[b][11]

Excepting Theodoric, abbot of the abbey of Saint-Evroul, who she listened to at times, 
Mabel was hostile to most members of the clergy; but her husband loved the monks at 
Saint-Evroul so she found it necessary to be more subtle.[2] In an incident in 1064,
[12] she deliberately burdened their limited resources by visiting the abbey for 
extended stays with a large retinue of her soldiers.[c] When rebuked by Theodoric the 
abbot for her callousness she snapped back that the next time she would visit with an 
even larger group. The abbot predicted that if she did not repent of her evilness she 
would suffer great pains and that very evening she did. She left the abbey in great 
haste as well as in great pain and did not abuse their hospitality again.[13]

Mabel continued her wickedness causing many nobles to lose their lands and become 
destitute.[3] In 1077 she took the hereditary lands of Hugh Bunel by force.[14] Two 
years later while coming out of her bath, she was killed by some men who had crept 
into the castle.[15] Hugh had enlisted the help of his three brothers, gained entry to 
the castle of Bures on the Dives and struck off her head with his sword. The 
murderers were pursued but escaped by destroying a bridge behind them.[3] Mabel's 
murder occurred on 2 December 1079 and she was buried three days later at Troarn.
[16]

Epitaph[edit]

Her epitaph is notable as an example of monks bowing more to “the partiality of her 
friends than to her own merits":


Sprung from the noble and the brave,
 Here Mabel finds a narrow grave.
 But, above all woman’s glory,
 Fills a page in famous story.
 Commanding, eloquent, and wise,
 And prompt to daring enterprise;
 Though slight her form, her soul was great,
 And, proudly swelling in her state,
 Rich dress, and pomp, and retinue,
 Lent it their grace and houours due.
 The border’s guard, the country’s shield,
 Both love and fear her might revealed,
 Till Hugh, revengeful, gained her bower,
 In dark December’s midnight hour.
 Then saw the Dive’s o’erflowing stream
 The ruthless murderer’s poignard gleam.
 Now friends, some moments kindly spare,
 For her soul’s rest to breathe a prayer![17]

Family[edit]

Mabel and her husband, Roger de Montgomery had ten children:
Roger of Montgomery, oldest son, died young.[18]
Robert de Bellême, Count of Alençcon in 1082, he succeeded his younger brother 
Hugh as 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury. He married Agnes, Countess of Ponthieu and died in 
1131.[19]
Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury, died without issue 1098.[20]
Roger the Poitevin, Vicomte d'Hiemois, married Adelmode de la Marche.[21]
Philip of Montgomery.[22]
Arnulf of Montgomery,[22] married Lafracota daughter of Muirchertach Ua Briain.[23]
Sibyl of Montgomory, she married Robert Fitzhamon, Lord of Creully.[24]
Emma, abbess of Almenchêches.[25]
Matilda (Maud) of Montgomery, she married Robert, Count of Mortain and died c. 
1085.[26]
Mabel of Montgomery, she married Hugh de Châteauneuf.[22]

Parents
TALVAS DE BELLEME William II "de Alencon" (ABT  995 - ABT 1052)
DE BEAUMONT Hildeburge ()

Siblings
TALVAS (DE ALENCON) Mabel (ABT 1024 - 2 Dec 1079)

Marriage To DE MONTGOMERY Roger II (ABT 1024 - 27 Jul 1094)
    m. Oct 1040 

Notes
his 1st

Parents
DE MONTGOMERY Roger (or Hugh) (ABT 1000 - AFT 1040)
DE PONTEAUDEMER Josceline (ABT  989 - AFT 1068)

Children by DE MONTGOMERY Roger II ABT 1024 - 27 Jul 1094
DE MONTGOMERY Maude (Matilda) (ABT 1041 - ABT 1085)
DE BELLEME (DE ALENCON) (MONTGOMERY) Robert II "Talvas" (ABT 1050 - 8 May 1131)
MONTGOMERY Roger "the Poitevin" (ABT 1054 - 1123)
DE MONTGOMERY Hugh (ABT 1055 - 31 Jul 1098)
DE MONTGOMERY Sibyl (ABT 1058 - 1107)
DE MONTGOMERY Arnulph (ABT 1066 - ABT 1120)

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