With the death of Richard's father in 942, King
Louis IV of West Francia installed the boy, Richard, in his father's office. Under the influence of Count
Arnulf I of Flanders, the king took him into Frankish territory to place him in the custody of the count of
Ponthieu. However, the king reneged and seized the lands of the
Duchy of Normandy. He then split up the duchy, giving its lands in lower Normandy to
Hugh the Great. Louis IV thereafter kept Richard in close confinement at
Lâon. Upon hearing that Richard was being held in captivity, the boy's foster Osmond de Centville and
Bernard the Dane formed a mob of knights and peasants across town and marched to the King's palace. They threatened the king to force him to return Richard. Louis protested that he had kept Richard in his domain to train him in courtliness. Bernard de Senlis and
Ivo de Bellèsme also assisted in Richard's release, along with pagan Norse forces led by
Harald of Bayeux. In 946, at the age of 14, Richard allied himself with the
Norman and Viking leaders in France and with men sent by
Harald Bluetooth. A battle was fought after which Louis IV was captured. Hostages were taken and held until King Louis recognised Richard as duke, returning Normandy to him. A period of peace ensued, Louis dying in 954, 13 year old
Lothair becoming king. The middle-aged Hugh appointed Richard as guardian of his 15-year-old son,
Hugh Capet in 955. Lothair, the king of the West Franks, was fearful that Richard's retaliation could destabilize a large part of
West Francia so he stepped in to prevent any further war between the two. In 987, Hugh Capet became King of the Franks. For the last 30 years of his reign, Richard concentrated on Normandy itself, and participated less in
Frankish politics and its petty wars. In lieu of building up the Norman Empire by expansion, he stabilized the realm and reunited the Normans, forging the reclaimed Duchy of his father and grandfather into West Francia's most cohesive and formidable
principality. , but which was discovered in 2016 to not contain his remains Richard died of natural causes in
Fécamp on 20 November 996. He was buried at
Fécamp Abbey, which he had founded. However, in 2016, what was believed to be his tomb was opened by Norwegian researchers who discovered that the interred remains could not have been those of Richard, as testing revealed that they were much older. Although it is not in doubt that Richard was buried in the Abbey in 996, it is known that his remains were moved within the Abbey several times after his burial. His daughters forged valuable marriage alliances with powerful neighboring counts as well as to the king of
England. restoring their lands and ensuring the great monasteries flourished in Normandy. His further reign was marked by an extended period of peace and tranquility. ==Marriages and issue==