The Starr Family of America

According to the "Dictionary of National Biography", Randulf took nopromimenent part in public affairs during the reign of KING HENRY I (RIN789).
Upon his accession in 1135, KING STEPHEN (RIN 3890) gave estates toPRINCE HENRY OF SCOTLAND (RIN 1912), which Randulf felt should have beenhis - specifically Lincoln and Carlisle. Randulf bided his time, making amostly unsuccessful attempt to add to his holdings on the
Welsh frontier. In 1140 Randulf attempted to intercept PRINCE HENRYduring his return to Scotland. He then captured the keep of Lincolncastle by way of intrigue. KING STEPHEN laid a siege, but Randulf slippedout and gathered forces, including some Welsh allies, and his
father-in-law - ROBERT, EARL OF GLOUCESTER (RIN 797). He then went toSTEPHEN's rival for the throne, THE EMPRESS MATILDA (RIN 788), andoffered allegiance to her in return for her help. With his father-in-lawand the forces they had gathered, Randulf reached Lincoln on 2 Feb 1141,and, in the battle beneath its walls, took a foremost part, charging THEKING in person. Entering the city in triumph, on the defeat of the enemy,he allowed his Welsh troops to sack it.
In 1141, Randulf joined MATILDA's forces at the siege of Winchester, buttook no prominent part. In 1142, Randulf made peace with STEPHEN.
In 1144, after biding his time, STEPHEN unsuccessfuly attacked Lincoln.Randulf maintained the upper hand in his struggles with STEPHEN and, by1146, is said to have practically ruled over a third part of the realmrepresented by a triangle with its apex at Chester and its bases at
Coventry and Lincoln.
Becoming alarmed at STEPHEN's growing power, Randulf suddenly renewed hisfriendship with him. He joined vigorously in the siege of Bedford, and onits fall, assisted the king with 300 knights in pushing the siege ofWallingford. However, he never really earned THE KING's
trust and was arested and imprisoned while attending the king's court. Inexchange for his release, Randulf had to surrender his castles and givehostages. His nephew, RICHARD DE CLARE, EARL OF HERTFORD (RIN 1079)
had to pledge himself and his castles for Randulf's good behavior.
Randulf almost immediately broke his pledge, successfuly attacked Lincolnand Coventry, narrowly escaping death. When the EMPRESS MATILDA's son -the future KING HENRY II (RIN 761) came to England in 1159, Randulfallied himself with him. A powerful alliance was formed
between Randulf, HENRY PLANTAGENET, and HENRY OF SCOTLAND (Randulf's oldnemesis), but before it could be exploited, Randulf found STEPHENoffering to outbid any offers that HENRY would make for Randulf'ssupport.
The result, as stated in the DNB was that "Lincoln was to be restored tohim under certain eloborate conditions, and he was to receive largegrants of escheated and crown lands, including the land 'between Mersyand Ribble', together with Belvoir Castle and its appendant estates.
Besides lands in Nottinghamshire, Leicesyershire, and Warwickshire, heobtained Torksey and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, his dominion thuspractically extending from sea to sea, with a port on both coasts."
In 1153, when HENRY PLANTAGENET returned to England, he outbid evenSTEPHEN's concessions in England and also gave Randulf estates inNormandy.
Randulf died on 16 Dec 1153. It was beleived that he was poisoned byWILLIAM PEVEREL OF NOTINGHAM (RIN 997), whose lands had been granted toRandulph by KING HENRY Ranulph's wife has also been said by
some to have been involved in the plot.
--http://www.gendex.com/users/jast/D0012/G0000006.html#I865