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Biography
Robert II Curthose of Normandy, Duke of Normandy, Count of Maine, was born 1051 in (Normandy) to William I of England (1027-1087) and Matilda of Flanders (c1031-1083) and died 10 February 1134 (Cardiff Castle+ Glamorganshire+ Wales) of unspecified causes. He married Sybilla of Conversano (-1103) 1100 JL in Apulia.
Robert, Duke of Normandy, AKA: Robert Curthose or Robert III - He was Duke of Normandy from 1087 to 1106 and an unsuccessful claimant to the throne of the Kingdom of England. The son of William the Conqueror, Robert's reign as duke is noted for the discord with his brothers in England - William II of England and Henry I of England.
1st Crusade
Robert mortgaged his duchy to finance his participation in the First Crusade, where he was an important crusader commander. Eventually, his disagreements with Henry I led to his death in captivity and the absorption of Normandy as a possession of England.
Marriage and Family
Robert married Sybilla of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Brindisi, Count of Conversano (and a grandniece of Robert Guiscard, another Norman duke) on the way back from Crusade, one child:[7][b]
- William Clito, was born 25 October 1102 and became heir to the Duchy of Normandy. William Clito was unlucky all his life; his attempts to invade Normandy failed twice (1119) and (1125), his first marriage to a daughter of the Count of Anjou was annulled by his uncle's machinations, and even his late inheritance of the county of Flanders was mishandled. William Clito died in 1128 leaving no issue, thus leaving the field clear in the Norman succession (at least until the death of Henry I).
Sybilla, who was admired and often praised by chroniclers of the time, died shortly after the birth. William of Malmesbury claims she died as a result of binding her breasts too tightly; both Robert of Torigny and Orderic Vitalis suggest she was murdered by a cabal of noblewomen led by her husband's mistress, Agnes Giffard.
Robert also had at least three illegitimate children –
- Richard, who died hunting in the New Forest in May 1100,
- a son William, a full brother of Richard, - William went to Palestine after 1106 and was named lord of Tortosa, but disappears from the historical record after 1110.
- and a daughter who married Helias of Saint-Saens.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Clito, Count of Flanders (1101-1128) | 25 October 1102 Rouen, Caux, Normandy, France | 28 July 1128 Aalst, Flanders, Belgium | Sibylla of Anjou (c1112-1165) Joanna of Montferrat (c1112-) |
| Henry of Normandy (1102-?) | |||
Siblings
References
- wikipedia:en:Robert Curthose - Wikipedia