Early life Robert was the son of
Richard II of Normandy and
Judith, daughter of
Conan I, Duke of Brittany, and
Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou. He was also grandson of
Richard I of Normandy, great-grandson of
William I of Normandy and great-great grandson of
Rollo, the Viking who founded Normandy. Before he died, Richard II had decided his elder son
Richard III would succeed him while his second son Robert would become Count of
Hiémois. In August 1026, their father Richard II died and Richard III became duke, but soon afterwards Robert rebelled against him, and was subsequently defeated and forced to swear fealty to Richard.
Reign When Richard III died a year later, there were suspicions that Robert had something to do with his death. Although nothing could be proven, Robert had the most to gain. The civil war Robert I had brought against his brother Richard III was still causing instability in the duchy. Private wars raged between neighbouring barons, which resulted in a new aristocracy arising in
Normandy during Robert's reign. Robert also attacked another powerful churchman, his cousin Hugo III d'Ivry, Bishop of Bayeux, banishing him from Normandy for an extended period. Robert also seized a number of church properties belonging to the Abbey of Fecamp. Despite his domestic troubles, Robert decided to intervene in the civil war in
Flanders between
Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and his father
Baldwin IV, whom the younger Baldwin had driven out of Flanders. Baldwin V, supported by king
Robert II of France, his father-in-law, was persuaded to make peace with his father in 1030 when Duke Robert promised the elder Baldwin his considerable military support. For his help Henry I rewarded Robert with the French
Vexin. After sacking Dol and repelling Alan's attempts to raid Avranches, Robert mounted a major campaign against his cousin Alan III. that scattered and sank much of the fleet. Robert made a safe landing in Guernsey.
Gesta Normannorum Ducum stated that
King Cnut sent envoys to Duke Robert offering to settle half the Kingdom of England on Edward and Alfred. After postponing the naval invasion, he chose to also postpone the decision until after he returned from Jerusalem.
Pilgrimage and death Robert's attitude towards the Church had changed noticeably certainly since reinstating his uncle's position as Archbishop of Rouen. In his attempt to reconcile his differences with the Church, he restored property that he or his vassals had confiscated, and by 1034 had returned all the properties he had earlier taken from the abbey of Fecamp. After making his son William his heir, he set out on pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. According to the
Gesta Normannorum Ducum he travelled by way of
Constantinople, reached Jerusalem, fell seriously ill and died on the return journey at
Nicaea on 2 July 1035. According to the historian
William of Malmesbury, decades later his son William sent a mission to Constantinople and Nicaea, charging it with bringing his father's body back to Normandy for burial. Permission was granted but, having travelled as far as
Apulia (Italy) on the return journey, the envoys learned that William himself had meanwhile died. They then decided to re-inter Robert's body in Italy. == Family ==