Robert de Normandie Comte d'Évreux, Archevêque de Rouen

  General Notes:

ROBERT, son of RICHARD I Comte [de Normandie] & his second wife Gunnora (-1037). Guillaume of Jumièges names "Richardum...et Robertum atque Malgerium aliosque duos" as the sons of Richard and his wife"Gunnor ex nobilissima Danorum prosapia ortam". The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines names "Robertus archiepiscopus Rothomagensis" as brother of "dux Normannie Richardus II". He is named as brother of Richard II Duke of Normandy by Orderic Vitalis. Robert of Torigny names "Ricardum…qui ei successit et Robertum postea archiepiscopum Rothomagensium et Malgerium comitem Curbuliensem, aliosque duos" as the sons of "Ricardi primi ducis Normanniæ" & Gunnora. Comte d'Evreux. Archbishop of Rouen 989, after his parents married to legitimise him to regularise his appointment. An agreement between the abbots of Jumièges and Bougeuil concerning an exchange of land in Poitou, by charter dated [13 Apr/4 Apr] 1012, is subscribed by "Richardus…filius Ricardi principi magni…Robertus archiepiscopus…ecclesie Rotomagensis et Vuillelmus et Malgerus fratres Richardi comitis…". Guillaume of Jumièges records the succession of Robert after the death of his brother, his siege of "Ebroicum...urbem" due to his enmity for "Robertum archipræsulum" who fled to "Robertum regem Francorum" before being reconciled with Duke Robert. Robert of Torigny records the death in 1037 of "Robertus…archiepiscopus Rothomagensis".

m HERLEVA, daughter of ---. She is called "a wife named Herleve" whom the bishop took "in his capacity as count" by Orderic Vitalis. Orderic Vitalis, in another passage, says that "the practice of celibacy among the clergy was so relaxed that not only priests but even bishops freely shared their beds with concubines and openly boasted of their numerous progeny". Chibnall mentions that clerical marriage was formally prohibited in Normandy in the 1064 Council of Lisieux. Ambivalence towards the marriage of senior members of the clergy in early medieval times is discussed by Taglia. The author highlights the uncertainty existing before the 12th century regarding the regularity of such marriages, and the legitimacy of any children produced, the position remaining unclear until the ecumenical councils of Lateran I (1123) and Lateran II (1139) which ruled that the major holy orders were an impediment to marriage.

Robert & his wife had four children: Richard, Raoul, Guillaume and Gauthier. ¹

Robert married Herleva.