King Robert FRANCE, II

   Other names for Robert were "The Pious", "The Sage" and FRANCE King.

   Ancestral File Number: 8XJK-Q0. User ID: 605111830.

   General Notes:

"The Pious", "The Sage", King of FRANCE Reigned 996-1031, Gisant Effigy in Abbey Church of St Denis France.

Not Married Concubine France King Robert II.

ABBEY CHURCH OF SAINT-DENIS
Volume II The Royal Tombs, Alain Erlande-Brandenburg, Editions De la Lourelle, 7 Rue Dupuytren 75006 Paris
"13 Robert the Pious d1031...In 1263 and 1264 at the request of Saint Louis, the tombs of the kings of France were disposed at St-Denis and buried between the pillars at the crossing of the transept, the Merovingians and Carolingians in the south, the Capetians in the north. To commemeorate the occasion, sixteen stone gisants were executed (that of Eudes and Hugh Capet disappeared during the French Revolution), all identically dressed and represented in the same fashion: with the eyes open and calm gestures. The face of the queens, emphasized by the play of light about their veils are the most beautiful. Those of Henry I and Robert the Pious are the most expressive. The work of three different artists can be recognized, each bringing a certain diversity to this sereies of gisants without upsetting its overall plan."

BOOKS
Barber Grandparents: 125 Kings, 143 Generations, Ted Butler Bernard and Gertrude Barber Bernard, 1978, McKinney TX, p84: "359G Robert Capet, King of France, (S of 345, F of 369); married Constance, daughter of William Taillefer, was king 996 to 1031."

Kings and Queens of Europe, Genealogical Chart, Anne Taute and Romilly Squire, Taute, 1989: "Robert II, Son of Hughes Capet and Adelaide Aquitaine, King of France 996-1031, Mar =3 Constance Daughter of Guillaume Toulouse, Died 1031."

Europe in the Middle Ages, Robert S Hoyt, 1957, Harcourt Brace & Co, p623: "Genealogical Table III, The Capetian Dynasty, Robert II The Pious (996- -1031)..."

The New Columbia Encyclopedia, 1975, p2332, Robert II: "the Pious, Born 970, Died 1031, King of France (996-1031); son of Hugh Capet, with whom he was joint king after 987. Distinguished for his piety and learning, he also sought to strengthen the weak royal power, conquered several towns, and secured the duchy of Burgundy for the crown. His son and successor was Henry I."

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1985, Micropaedia, Vol VIII, p610, Robert II the Pious: "Born Abt 970 Orleans France, Died 20 Jul 1031 Melun, King of France who incorporated Burgundy into the French realm. The son of Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian dynasty, and Adelaide of Aquitaine, Robert was educated at the episcopal school of Reims under Gerbert of Aurillac, later Pope Silvester II. Soon after his own coronation (Jul 987), Hugh prudently arranged the election and coronation (Dec 987) of Robert, thus facilitating his son's eventual succession (Oct 996) as sole ruler. As a result of intrigues in the German and papal courts, however, many nobles hesitated to commit themselves to his side. His position was further complicated when he became attracted to and married (996) Bertha, widow of Eudes (Odo) I (died 995), Count of Blois. The church disapproved of the association because it was within the forbidden degrees of relationship. In addition, Robert was godfather to one of Bertha's children, which made their marriage (996) `doubly incestuous' in the eyes of the church. The king greatly miscalculated the intransigence of Pope Gregory V, who excommunicatedhim despite his willingness to make political concessions to the papacy. The accession of Gerbert to the papal throne (999) eased the situation; moreover, the couple was childless and had separated by Sep 1001."
"Robert's domain was not extensive, for the Neustrian March once controlled by his family had been diminshed by numerous grants of land to vassal. To increase his power, he vigorously and tenaciously pressed his claim to fiefs as they became vacant. Thus, when the Dukeof Burgundy died without an Heir (1002), Robert went to war against a rival claimant. For more than a decade he laid waste the territories of those who refused to do him homage; he did not finally succeed in subduing the rich duchy until 1015.A patron of the Cluniac monastic movement, Robert apparently ruled firmly and judiciously in his own lands."

The Story of Civilization, Will Durant, Vol IV, The Age of Faith, Bk IV, The Dark Ages, Ch XIX, The Decline of the West, Sec III, France, p480: "To improve the chances of an orderly succession, Hugh, in the first year of his reign, had had his son Robert crowned co-king. Robert the Pious (996-1031) is accounted a `mediocre king', perhaps because he shunned the glory of war. Having some dispute over boundaries with the Emperor Henry II of Germany, he arranged a meeting with him exchanged presents, and reached a peaceable agreement. Like Louis IX, Henry IV, and Louis XVI, Robert had a kindly feeling for the weak and the poor, and protected them as well as he could from the unscrupulous strong. He offended the Church by marrying his cousin Bertha (998), bore excommunica- tion patiently therefor and the taunts of those who thought her a witch; finally he separated from her and lived unhappily forever afterward. At his death, we are told, `There was great mourning and intolerable grief.'"

The Wall Chart of World History, Edward Hull, 1988, Studio Editions, France 996: "Robert II, "The Sage", Kingof France 996-1031, Son of Hugh Capet, Divorced from Bertha, Died Lamented..."

ANCESTRAL FILE
Ancestral File Ver 4.10 8XJK-Q0 Mar Bertha Bef Apr 988, EB Mar Bertha 996.

   Marriage Information:

Robert married Queen Rosela Suzanna D' Ivrea FRANCE, daughter of King Berenger ITALY, II and Princess Willa TUSCANY, before 1 Apr 988. The marriage ended in divorce. (Queen Rosela Suzanna D' Ivrea FRANCE was born on 16 Jun 936-965 in Ivrea, Luxembourg, West Europe, died on 26 Jan 1003 in Gent, Oest Vlaanderen, Belgium and was buried in Gent, Oest Vlaanderen, Belgium.)

   Marriage Information:

Robert also married Queen Bertha Burgundy FRANCE, daughter of King Conrad BURGUNDY, I and Countess Mathilde Franks FLANDERS, about 996-998 in , , France. The marriage ended in divorce. (Queen Bertha Burgundy FRANCE was born about 967-971 in , Burgundy, France and died after 16 Jan 1016.)

   Marriage Information:

Robert also married Queen Constance Arles De Toulouse FRANCE, daughter of Count William Taillefer TOULOUSE, III and Countess Arsinde De Anjou TOULOUSE, in 1000 in , , France. (Queen Constance Arles De Toulouse FRANCE was born about 986 in Toulouse, Haute Garonne, France, died on 25 Jul 1032 in Melun, , France and was buried in Abbey, St Denis, Paris, Seine, France.)

   Marriage Information:

Robert also married Concubine France Robert II. (Concubine France Robert II was born in 972 in , , France.)