Robert II, Archbishop of Rouen
Encyclopedia
Robert II was son of duke Richard I
of Normandy
and his second wife, Gunnora. He was a younger brother of duke Richard II
and uncle of duke Robert I. He was archbishop of Rouen
(989 to 1037), to which at that time his marriage was not an impediment, and also count of Évreux
.
In the 990s, archishop Robert plotted to cause the overthrow of the Capetians
from the throne that they had very recently obtained.
The early years of Robert's nephew duke Robert I's reign were turbulent. Robert I's elder brother, Richard III
, had died suddenly after only a year of ruling the duchy, and Robert I was naturally accused of fratricide. Archbishop Robert evidently believed it and so Duke Robert I laid siege to him at Évreux, forcing him into exile. He placed all of Normandy under an interdict. For several years, conditions worsened, with even Alan III of Brittany joining in the attack on the duke. But by 1031 "the situation had been largely retrieved, and the chief agent in effecting the recovery was the metropolitan archbishop of Rouen." Archbishop Robert was always closely involved in the government of the duchy. His uncle's support was so essential that, without it, Duke Robert I would never have been able to rule. Archbishop Robert was recalled from exile and the stabilization of Normandy began. A reconciliation took place, the interdict was lifted, and the war with Brittany was ended by his mediation. From this time until his death in 1037, he was the dominant political influence in the duchy of Normandy.
Robert married Harleve of Rouen and had the following children by her:
For a couple of years all was peaceful enough, but the death of archbishop Robert on 16 March 1037 ended the stability of the duchy. Relatives of William the Bastard, who had become duke following the death of his father, duke Robert I, sought to remove him, resulting in the long anarchy of his minority.
Richard I of Normandy
Richard I of Normandy , also known as Richard the Fearless , was the Duke of Normandy from 942 to 996; he is considered the first to have held that title.-Birth:He was born to William I of Normandy, ruler of Normandy, and Sprota...
of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and his second wife, Gunnora. He was a younger brother of duke Richard II
Richard II, Duke of Normandy
Richard II , called the Good , was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.-Biography:...
and uncle of duke Robert I. He was archbishop of Rouen
Archbishop of Rouen
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the ecclesiastical province of the archdiocese comprises the majority of Normandy....
(989 to 1037), to which at that time his marriage was not an impediment, and also count of Évreux
Évreux
Évreux is a commune in the Eure department, of which it is the capital, in Haute Normandie in northern France.-History:In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named Mediolanum Aulercorum, "the central town of the Aulerci", the Gallic tribe then inhabiting the area...
.
In the 990s, archishop Robert plotted to cause the overthrow of the Capetians
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
from the throne that they had very recently obtained.
The early years of Robert's nephew duke Robert I's reign were turbulent. Robert I's elder brother, Richard III
Richard III, Duke of Normandy
Richard III was the eldest son of Richard II, who died in 1027. Before succeeding his father, perhaps about 1020, he had been sent by his father in command of a large army, to attack bishop/count Hugh of Chalon in order to rescue his brother-in-law, Reginald, later Count of Burgundy, whom the...
, had died suddenly after only a year of ruling the duchy, and Robert I was naturally accused of fratricide. Archbishop Robert evidently believed it and so Duke Robert I laid siege to him at Évreux, forcing him into exile. He placed all of Normandy under an interdict. For several years, conditions worsened, with even Alan III of Brittany joining in the attack on the duke. But by 1031 "the situation had been largely retrieved, and the chief agent in effecting the recovery was the metropolitan archbishop of Rouen." Archbishop Robert was always closely involved in the government of the duchy. His uncle's support was so essential that, without it, Duke Robert I would never have been able to rule. Archbishop Robert was recalled from exile and the stabilization of Normandy began. A reconciliation took place, the interdict was lifted, and the war with Brittany was ended by his mediation. From this time until his death in 1037, he was the dominant political influence in the duchy of Normandy.
Robert married Harleve of Rouen and had the following children by her:
- Richard, Count of ÉvreuxRichard, Count of ÉvreuxRichard, Count of Évreux was the son of Robert II the Archbishop of Rouen and Count of Évreux and Harleve of Rouen.He married Godehildis the widow of Roger I of Tosny, and had the following issue:*Guillaume...
(d. 1067) - Raoul d' Évreux, Sire de Gace (Wace). He married Basilie, daughter of Gerard Flaitel. They had one son, Robert, who died without heirs. Basilie married a second time to Hugh de Gournay.
- William d' Évreux. He is believed to have married an unknown woman, and had a son, Roger, who fought at Hastings and gave rise to the English family of the same name. He married a second time to Hawise de Giroie, and had a daughter, Judith, who married Roger de Hauteville, Count of Sicily.
For a couple of years all was peaceful enough, but the death of archbishop Robert on 16 March 1037 ended the stability of the duchy. Relatives of William the Bastard, who had become duke following the death of his father, duke Robert I, sought to remove him, resulting in the long anarchy of his minority.