Robert I (1011 – 21 March 1076), known as Robert the Old and " fro, Tête-Hardi, lit=the Headstrong", was

Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy (french: duc de Bourgogne) was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by France in 1477, and later by Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of Spain from the House of Habsbu ...

from 1032 to his death. Robert was the son of King

Robert II of France Robert II (c. 972 – 20 July 1031), called the Pious (french: link=no, le Pieux) or the Wise (french: link=no, le Sage), was King of the Franks from 996 to 1031, the second from the Capetian dynasty. Crowned Junior King in 987, he assisted his ...

and Constance of Arles. His brother was

Henry I of France Henry I (4 May 1008 – 4 August 1060) was King of the Franks from 1031 to 1060. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the early Capetians. T ...

Life

In 1025, with the death of his eldest brother Hugh Magnus, he and Henry rebelled against their father and defeated him, forcing him back to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

. In 1031, after the death of his father the king, Robert participated in a rebellion against his brother, in which he was supported by his mother, Constance of Arles. Peace was only achieved when Robert was given Burgundy (1032). Throughout his reign, he was little more than a robber baron who had no control over his vassals, whose estates he often plundered, especially those of the Church. He seized the income of the diocese of Autun and the wine of the canons of

Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earl ...

. He burgled the abbey of St-Germain at Auxerre. In 1048, he repudiated his wife, Helie of Semur followed by the assassination of her brother Joceran and the murdering her father, Lord

Dalmace I of Semur Dalmas I of Semur (French: ''Dalmace Ier de Semur,'' c. 980/985 - 1048) was a Burgundian nobleman. He was the eldest son of Geoffroy I of Semur (c. 942 - c. 1000), lord of Semur-en-Brionnais, and his first wife, a daughter of Dalmace II, Viscoun ...

, with his own hands. In that same year, the

bishop of Langres The Roman Catholic Diocese of Langres (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lingonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Langres'') is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the ''département'' of Haute-Marne in France. The diocese is now a suffragan in ecclesiastical p ...

, Harduoin, refused to dedicate the church of Sennecy so as not "to be exposed to the violence of the duke." His first son, Hugh, died in battle at a young age and his second son, Henry, also predeceased him. He was succeeded by Henry's eldest son, his grandson,

Hugh I Hugh I may refer to: * Hugh I of Lusignan (c. 885–c. 930) * Hugh I, Count of Maine (died 933) * Hugh I, Viscount of Châteaudun (died 989 or after) * Hugh I of France (c. 939–996), a.k.a. Hugh Capet, first King of the Franks of the Capetian dy ...

Family

He married his first wife, Helie of Semur, about 1033, and repudiated her in 1048. Robert and Helie had five children: #Hugh (1034–1059), killed in battle # Henry (1035–ca.1074). He died shortly before his father, thus making his son Robert's heir. His children included Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy (1057–1093), Odo I, Duke of Burgundy (1058–1103), and

Henry, Count of Portugal Henry (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Henrique'', French language, French: ''Henri''; c. 10661112), Count of Portugal, was the first member of the House of Burgundy, Capetian House of Burgundy to rule Portugal and the father of the country's f ...

(1066–1112), among others #Robert (1040–1113), poisoned; married Violante, daughter of

Roger I of Sicily Roger I ( it, Ruggero I, Arabic: ''رُجار'', ''Rujār''; Maltese: ''Ruġġieru'', – 22 June 1101), nicknamed Roger Bosso and The Great, was a Norman nobleman who became the first Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was a member of the ...

#Simon (1045–1087) # Constance (1046–1093), married

Alfonso VI of León and Castile Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century ( Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsu ...

*From his second wife, Ermengarde, daughter of Fulk III of Anjou, he had one daughter: # Hildegarde (c.1056–1104), married William VIII of Aquitaine

References

Sources

* * * * Gwatking, H. M., Whitney, J. P., et al. ''Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III—Germany and the Western Empire''.

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambr ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, 1930. {{Authority control House of Burgundy Dukes of Burgundy 1011 births 1076 deaths Rebellious princes Sons of kings