KidzSearch Wiki

Richard III, Duke of Normandy

Statue of Richard III as part of the Six Dukes of Normandy statue in Falaise.

Richard III (997/1001 – 6 August 1027) was the Duke of Normandy. His short reign of one year opened with a rebellion by his younger brother Robert I and ended with his death.

Early career

Richard III was the oldest son of Richard II, Duke of Normandy and his wife Judith of Brittany.[1] He was born c. 1001.[1] Around the year 1120, Richard's father sent him in command of a large army to rescue his brother-in-law, Reginald I, Count of Burgundy.[2] It was a distance of about 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Normandy.[3] Richard III's capture of the castle of Minamde was enough to convince Bishop Hugh to surrender and release Reginald.[2]

When his father died in August of 1026, as the oldest son, Richard III succeeded him as Duke of Normandy.[4] By all accounts Richard III was accepted by the barons of Normandy and had no problems accepting his new role as duke.[4] Richard III had given his younger son, Robert, the town of Exmes and the county of Hiemois.[5] But once Richard III became duke, his younger brother Robert was not satisfied. He raided the diocese of his uncle Robert II, Archbishop of Rouen.[5] He also captured his brother's fortress city of Falaise.[5] Robert's rebellion lasted through the end of 1026 and into early 1027.[6] Finally Richard III laid siege to Falaise and brought the walls down. Robert surrendered and promised to be faithful.[5]

Richard III then took the next step; he arranged with king Robert II of France to marry his young daughter, Adelis.[5] She was given rich dowry which included the city and county of Coutances. Even though he was now newly married to a king's daughter, he already had children by a concubine.[5] But unexpectedly Richard III died on 5 or 6 August 1027.[6] He had a son named Nicholas, but the boy was immediately sent to the monastery at Fécamp.[6] With Nicholas out of the way the duchy passed to his Richard III's younger brother Robert, who became the sixth duke of Normandy as Robert I.[6]

Marriage

In January of 1027 he was married to Adela[7] a younger daughter of Robert II of France and Constance of Arles.[7] After Richard's death Adela secondly married Baldwin V, Count of Flanders.[7]

Issue

By his wife Adela he had no children.

By an unknown concubine he had at least two children:

  • Alice/Alix of Normandy who married Ranulph, Viscount of Bayeux.[1]
  • Nicolas, Monk at Fécamp, Abbot of Saint-Ouen, Rouen (died 26 Feb 1092)[1]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band III, Teilband 1 (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 79
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 François Neveux, A Brief History of the Normans, trans. Howard Curtis (Constable & Robbinson, Ltd, London, 2008), pp. 97-8
  3. ↑ Reginald was being held prisoner by Bishop Hugh of Auxerre.François Neveux, A Brief History of the Normans, trans. Howard Curtis (Constable & Robbinson, Ltd, London, 2008), pp. 97-8
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 François Neveux, A Brief History of the Normans, trans. Howard Curtis (Constable & Robbinson, Ltd, London, 2008), p. 98
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 David Crouch, The Normans: The History of a Dynasty, (Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 46
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1964), p. 32
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band III, Teilband 1 (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 11
Retrieved from "https://wiki.kidzsearch.com/w/index.php?title=Richard_III,_Duke_of_Normandy&oldid=5383717"