Alice de Condet and Lincoln in the Civil War of King Stephen’s Reign

Alice de Condet (d. before 1166) was a significant figure in complex conflicts involving Earl Ranulf II of Chester, the bishop of Lincoln and the king in the civil war of King Stephen’s reign and held a castle in the city of Lincoln, likely in her own right. Alice is often identified as the sister of the same earl. If she was, she was also the beneficiary of a dramatic rescue recounted in a major chronicle of the period. Alice may also have been Aēliz de Cundé, a contemporary literary patron. Despite this extraordinary material, Alice is not well known. Here, Alice’s life is explored, and identification of her as Ranulf’s sister refuted. That permits viewing her in new ways which can contribute new insights into the experiences of women in the civil war, its politics, Lincoln’s history, and Alice’s role as patron.