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Ranulph de Germons, Knt, was the 5th Earl of Chester, lord of Eastham a n d M a c c lesfield, Chester, Coventry, Warwickshire, Barrow upon Soar, Lei c e s t e rshire , and Greetham, Lincolnshire, etc; hereditary Vicomte of Av r a n c h es in Normandy, son and he i r of Ranulph (nicknamed le Mescin), 4 t h E a r l o f Chester, hereditary Vicomte of Bayeux, by Lucy, widow of Ive s d e T a \ i l leois and Roger Fitz Gerold, and heiress (and possibly daugh te r) o f T h o rold, Sheriff of Lincoln.
He was a distinguished soldier, both on the side of the Empress Maud an d o n t h a t o f King Stephen. He was one of five Earls who witnessed the C h ar t e r t o Salisbury in 1131, and also a witness to Stephen's second Cha r t e r o f L iberties in 1136, and by Stephen he was made Constable of Linc o l n . B u t he took part against the King at the battle of Lincoln 2 Feb 1 1 4 1 , w h en Stephen was taken prisoner, and Stephen retaliated against Ea r l R a n u lph in 1146 by seizing him at Court at Northampton. Probably aft e r t h e p e ace of 1151, the King granted him the Castle and city of Linco l n , b u t a gain having taken Stephen's side, he was consequently distrust e d b y b o t h sides.
He died in Dec 1153, supposedly of poisoning by his wife and William Pe v e r e l o f Nottingham.
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Abt 1100 - 1153 (53 years)
