Robert FitzEdith ^{3 4}

   Another name for Robert was Robert FitzRoy.

  General Notes:

ROBERT FitzEdith [FitzRoy] (-31 May [1172]). Symeon of Durham names "Rodberto filio Edæ et Henrici regis notho". Guillaume de Jumièges names "Rainaldus, Robertus, Gislebertus" as three illegitimate sons of King Henry I, adding that they were "adhuc iuvenes sine casamero". Landowner in Devon 1130: the 1129/30 Pipe Roll includes a record accounting for "terra Rob fil Reg" in Devon. He supported his half-sister Empress Matilda during the civil war. "Robertus Henrici regis filius" donated property to Oseney Abbey, Oxfordshire, with the consent of "Henrici de Oleio fratris mei", by undated charter. "Robertus filius Regis Henrici" donated "duos ferlingos in manerio meo Calvalegiæ juxta Cobbalegiam" to Exeter St Nicholas, with the consent of "Matillidis de Abrinco uxoris meæ", by charter dated 1162. The Red Book of the Exchequer refers to "Robertus filius Regis lix l xvii s i d, et de novo i m" in Devonshire in [1167/68]. It is uncertain whether his year of death is accurate as the 1176/77 Pipe Roll names "Robertus filius Regis" in Devonshire.

[m firstly ---. It should be noted that, assuming the hypothesis concerning the identity of the wife of Robert FitzEdith is correct as outlined below, Mathilde d´Avranches would have been considerably younger than her husband. As noted above, Robert is recorded as a land-owner in the 1129/30 Pipe Roll, while the same document records elsewhere that Mathilde´s father was still married to his first wife at that time. This age difference points to an earlier, otherwise unrecorded, first marriage of Robert which (if it did take place) was presumably childless.]

m [secondly] (before 1162) as her second husband, MATHILDE d´Avranches, widow of [GEOFFROY de Crimes/GUILLAUME de Curcy], daughter of ROBERT d´Avranches & his second wife Matilda Avenell. "Robti filii Henrici Regis" confirmed the donation of "totam vineam quam Robtus fil Baldewini et Ricardus frater eius" to Exeter St Nicholas, with the consent of "Matillidis filiæ Roberti de Avrenchis et heredis Ricardi filii Baldewini", undated. The heirship of Mathilde to "Ricardi filii Baldewini" (who was a member of a younger branch of the Brionne/Eu family, see the document NORMANDY NOBILITY) was through her maternal grandmother, who is recorded as a sister of the brothers Robert and Richard. "Robertus filius Regis Henrici" donated "duos ferlingos in manerio meo Calvalegiæ juxta Cobbalegiam" to Exeter St Nicholas, with the consent of "Matillidis de Abrinco uxoris meæ", by charter dated 1162. The parentage of the wife of Robert FitzEdith is confirmed by a claim, dated 1222, which is recorded by Bracton: "Matillis de Curteney" sued "Robertum de Curtenay" concerning "manerium de Ocumptona", "Robertus" claiming that the land was "hereditas Matillidis de Aueregnes" who had "duas filias…Hawisiam matrem suam primogenitam […filia Gaufridi de Crimes primi viri Matillidis de Auerenches] et…Matillidem", while the claimant Matilda asserted that she had the land in question "ex dono Roberti filii Regis patris eiusdem Matillidis et secundi viri predicte Matillidis de Auerenches". A different parentage is indicated by the Fundationis et Fundatorum Historia of Ford Abbey which records that "domina Alicia uxor domini Randolphi Avenell filia sua…unicam filiam…Matildam" married "Roberto filio regis Henrici primi notho" after the death of her first husband "Roberto de Abrincis id est de Averinges", and died "IX Kal Oct 1173". Matilda, daughter of Ranulf Avenell, was the mother of Mathilde d´Avranches. The two charters quoted above indicate that this supposed second marriage of Matilda is not correct. The identity of Mathilde´s first husband is uncertain. Bracton´s report of the 1222 lawsuit which is quoted above identifies him as "Gaufridi de Crimes primi viri Matillidis de Auerenches". However, another claim recorded by Bracton, also dated 1222, identifies him differently: "Matillis de Curtenay" claimed against "Robertum de Curtenay" concerning "manerium de Chamelegha", the defendant stating that "Robertus filius Regis…Matillidem de Auerenches uxorem suam" held the land which was inherited by "Hawisie filie sui matri eiusdem Roberti de Curtenay que fuit filia Willelmi de Curcy viri eiusdem Matillidis". No other information has yet been found which would resolve this inconsistency. Another outstanding point concerns the date of death of Matilda Avenell, as wife of Robert FitzEdith, as reported in the Ford Abbey document. It is assumed that the date does in fact refer to Matilda Avenell and not to Mathilde d´Avranches, although the point is not beyond all doubt. If that is correct, no indication has been found of the date of death of Mathilde d´Avranches.

Robert & his [second] wife had one child: Matilda.

[FMG/Medieval Lands]

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ROBERT the King's son, whose mother Ede or Edith was apparently da. of Forn, probably identical with Forn Sigulfson, lord of Greystoke (Cumberland) and a tenant-in-chief in co. York; which Edith, after her liaison with Henry I, m. Robert de Oilli, a royal Constable and constable of Oxford Castle. Robert held land in Devonshire in 1130. He supported his half-sister, the EMPRESS Maud, in the Civil War. He was a great tenant-in-chief, his servitium debitum being 100 knights. He m. Maud, dame du Sap in Normandy, widow of William de Courcy, and da. and h. of Robert de Avranches, by whom he had an only daughter. He d. 31 May 1172.

[Complete Peerage XI:Appendix D:112]

Robert married Mathilde d'Avranches, daughter of Robert d'Avranches and Mathilde Avenell, before 1162.^{1 2}