Richard, I Duke of Normandy

Male 933 - 996  (63 years)


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  • Name Richard , I Duke of Normandy  [1
    Suffix I Duke of Normandy 
    Born 28 Aug 933  Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    Died 20 Nov 996  Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Notes 
    • Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie was born on 28 August 933 at Fecamp, Normandy, France. He was the son of Guillaume I 'Longsword', 2nd Duc de Normandie and Sprota. He married, firstly, Emma de Paris, daughter of Hugues of Neustria, Comte de Paris and Hedwig von Sachsen, in 960. He married, secondly, Gunnor de Crêpon, daughter of unknown de Crepon, in 962. He died on 20 November 996 at age 63 at Fecamp, Normandy, France. Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie also went by the nick-name of Richard 'the Fearless' (French, Sans Peur). He succeeded to the title of 3rd Duc de Normandie on 17 December 942; he is considered the first to have held that title.

      Birth

      He was born to William I of Normandy, ruler of Normandy, and Sprota. He was 10 years old when his father died on 17 December 942. His mother was a Breton concubine captured in war and bound to William by a Danish marriage. After William died, Sprota became the wife of Esperleng, a wealthy miller; Rodulf of Ivry was their son and Richard's half-brother.

      Life

      When his father died, Louis IV of France seized Normandy and split the lands, giving lands in lower Normandy to Hugh the Great. Louis kept Richard in confinement at Lâon, but he escaped with the assistance of Osmond de Centville, Bernard de Senlis (who had been a companion of Rollo of Normandy), Ivo de Bellèsme, and Bernard the Dane (ancestor of families of Harcourt and Beaumont).

      In 946, Richard agreed to "commend" himself to Hugh, Count of Paris. He then allied himself with the Norman and Viking leaders, drove Louis out of Rouen, and took back Normandy by 947. The rest of his reign was mainly peaceful, apart from conflict with Theobald I, Count of Blois marked by the restoration of Church lands and monasteries.

      Richard cemented his alliance with Hugh by marrying his daughter Emma. When Hugh died, Richard became vassal to his son Hugh Capet who became king in 987. Although married to Emma, they produced no offspring. His children were from his relationship with Gonnor, a woman of Danish origin who gave him an heir, Richard.

      He quarrelled with Ethelred II of England regarding Danish invasions of England because Normandy had been buying up much of the stolen booty.

      Richard was bilingual, having been well educated at Bayeux. He was more partial to his Danish subjects than to the Franks. During his reign, Normandy became completely Gallicized and Christianized. He introduced the feudal system and Normandy became one of the most thoroughly feudalized states on the continent. He carried out a major reorganization of the Norman military system, based on heavy cavalry.

      Marriages

      His first marriage (960) was to Emma, daughter of Hugh "The Great" of France, and Hedwiga de Sachsen. (She is not to be confused with Emma of France.) They were betrothed when both were very young. She died 19 March 968, with no issue.

      Richard & his children

      According to Robert of Torigni, not long after Emma's death, Duke Richard went out hunting and stopped at the house of a local forester. He became enamoured of the forester's wife, Seinfreda, but she being a virtuous woman, suggested he court her unmarried sister, Gunnor, instead. Gunnor became his mistress, and her family rose to prominence. Her brother, Herefast de Crepon, may have been involved in a controversial heresy trial. Gunnor was, like Richard, of Norse descent, being a Dane by blood. Richard finally married her to legitimize their children:

      Richard II "the Good", Duke of Normandy (996), died 1026.
      Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, Count of Evreux, died 1037.
      Mauger, Earl of Corbeil, died after 1033
      Robert Danus, died between 985 and 989
      another son (On tapestry name looks like Lillam, Gillam, Willam)
      Emma of Normandy (c.985-1052) wife of two kings of England.
      Maud of Normandy, wife of Odo II of Blois, Count of Blois, Champagne and Chartres
      Hawise of Normandy (b. ca. 978), d. 21 February 1034. m. Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany

      Mistresses

      Richard was known to have had several other mistresses and produced children with many of them. Known children are:

      Geoffrey, Count of Eu, (b. ca. 970)
      William, Count of Eu (ca. 972-26 January 1057/58)[2] m. Leseline de Turqueville (d. 26 January 1057/58).
      Beatrice of Normandy, Abbess of Montvilliers d.1034 m. Ebles of Turenne (d.1030 (divorced)
      Robert
      "Papia" m. Gilbert de St Valery (based on a claim his wife as a daughter of "Richard of Normandy" -- the only Richard who chronologically fits is Richard I. Name is not confirmed in any source. ref)

      Possible other children

      Late chroniclers claimed that two of the De Hautevilles of Naples/Sicily were nephews of "Duke Richard". As the two were children of Tancred of Hauteville by different mothers, this would mean that both of Tancred's wives had been sisters of a Duke Richard, and by chronology, of Richard II, although this is not backed up by contemporary source. If true, Richard would have had at least two more illegitimate children:

      Fressenda (ca. 995-ca. 1057)
      Muriella

      Death

      He died in Fecamp, France on 20 November 996 of natural causes.

      Richard I of Normandy (933-996), also known as Richard the Fearless (French, Sans Peur), was the Duke of Normandy from 942 to 996. He was called dux by Dudo of Saint-Quentin, who Richard commissioned to write his De moribus et actis primorum Normanniae ducum (Concerning the Customs and Deeds of the First Dukes of the Normans), but this use of the word dux may have been in the context of a war leader and not a title. If he didn’t introduce feudalism into Normandy he greatly expanded it. By the end of his reign most important landholders held their lands in feudal tenure.

      Birth

      He was born to William I of Normandy, princeps[4] or ruler of Normandy, and Sprota. He was also the grandson of the famous Rollo.He was about 10 years old when his father was killed on 17 December 942. His mother was a Breton concubine captured in war and bound to William by a Danish marriage. William was told of the birth of a son after the battle with Riouf and other Viking rebels, but his existence was kept secret until a few years later when William Longsword first met his son Richard. After kissing the boy and declaring him his heir, William sent Richard to be raised in Bayeux. After William was killed, Sprota became the wife of Esperleng, a wealthy miller; Rodulf of Ivry was their son and Richard's half-brother.

      Life

      When his father died, Louis IV of France seized Normandy, installed the boy Richard in his father's office, then placed him in the care of the count of Ponthieu. The king then split the lands, giving lands in lower Normandy to Hugh the Great. Louis kept Richard in confinement at Lâon, but he escaped with the assistance of Osmond de Centville, Bernard de Senlis (who had been a companion of Rollo of Normandy), Ivo de Bellèsme, and Bernard the Dane (ancestor of families of Harcourt and Beaumont).

      In 946, Richard agreed to "commend" himself to Hugh, Count of Paris. He then allied himself with the Norman and Viking leaders, drove Louis out of Rouen, and took back Normandy by 947.

      In 962 Theobald I, Count of Blois attacked Rouen, Richard’s stronghold, but his army was defeated by the Normans and retreated never having crossed the Seine. Lothair king of the West Franks stepped in to prevent any further war between the two.

      Afterwards and until his death in 996 Richard concentrated on Normandy itself and had less dealings in Frankish politics and petty wars. He built up the Norman Empire not by expansion, but by stabilizing and uniting his followers into a cohesive and formidable principality.

      Richard used marriage to build strong alliances . His marriage to Emma connected him to the Capet family. His wife Gunnor, from a rival Viking group in the Cotentin, formed an alliance to that group, while her sisters form the core group that was to provide loyal followers to him and his successors. His daughters provided valuable marriage alliances with powerful neighboring counts as well as to the king of England.

      He also built on his relationship with the church, restoring their lands and insured the great monasteries flourished. His reign was marked by an extended period of peace and tranquility.

      Marriages

      His first marriage (960) was to Emma, daughter of Hugh "The Great" of France, and Hedwiga de Sachsen. They were betrothed when both were very young. She died after 19 March 968, with no issue.

      Richard & his children

      According to Robert of Torigni, not long after Emma's death, Duke Richard went out hunting and stopped at the house of a local forester. He became enamoured of the forester's wife, Seinfreda, but she being a virtuous woman, suggested he court her unmarried sister, Gunnor, instead. Gunnor became his mistress, and her family rose to prominence. Her brother, Herefast de Crepon, may have been involved in a controversial heresy trial. Gunnor was, like Richard, of Norse descent, being a Dane by blood. Richard finally married her to legitimize their children:

      Richard II "the Good", Duke of Normandy
      Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, Count of Evreux
      Mauger, Earl of Corbeil
      Emma of Normandy, wife of two kings of England
      Maud of Normandy, wife of Odo II of Blois, Count of Blois, Champagne and Chartres
      Hawise of Normandy m. Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany
      Papia of Normandy
      William, Count of Eu

      Mistresses

      Richard was known to have had several other mistresses and produced children with many of them. Known children are:

      Geoffrey, Count of Eu
      William, Count of Eu (ca. 972-26 January 1057/58), m. Lasceline de Turqueville (d. 26 January 1057/58).
      Beatrice of Normandy, Abbess of Montvilliers d.1034 m. Ebles of Turenne (d.1030 (divorced)
      "Papia"

      Other claims

      The two wives of Tancred of Hauteville were claimed to be daughters of 'Richard of Normandy' (either I or II), although sources are late and considered untrustworthy.

      Fressenda or Fredesenda (ca. 995-ca. 1057)
      Muriella

      Death

      He died in Fecamp, France on 20 November 996.
    Person ID I1774  Bosdet Genealogy
    Last Modified 16 May 2013 

    Father William, I Duke of Normandy,   b. Abt 900, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Dec 942, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 42 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Mother Sprota,   b. Abt 911, Bretagne, France Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Relationship Natural 
    Married Abt 932  Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Family ID F171  Group Sheet

    Family 1 Gunnora, Duchess of Normandy,   b. Abt 936, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1031  (Age ~ 95 years) 
    Married 962  [2
    Children 
     1. Richard, II Duke of Normandy,   b. 23 Aug 970, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Aug 1026, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years)
     2. Emma de Normandie,   b. Between 985 and 987, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Mar 1051/52, Winchester, Hampshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 67 years)
     3. Matilda de Normandie,   d. Abt 1017
     4. Beatrix de Normandie
     5. Mauger de Normandie, Comte de Corbeil
     6. Robert d'Evreux, Comte d'Evreux,   d. 1037
     7. Hawise of Normandy,   d. 21 Feb 1033/34
    Family ID F502  Group Sheet

    Family 2 Unknown 
    Children 
     1. William de Hiesmes, 1st Count of Eu,   b. 972,   d. 26 Jan 1057/58  (Age 86 years)
     2. Geoffrey, Count of Eu,   b. Abt 953, Brionne, Normandy, France Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1015  (Age ~ 62 years)
    Family ID F504  Group Sheet

    Family 3 Emma de Paris,   b. Aft 942,   d. 19 Mar 967/68  (Age 24 years) 
    Married 960  [1
    Family ID F503  Group Sheet

  • Sources 
    1. [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_Normandy.

    2. [S160] Richard Glanville-Brown, (Location: 2, Milton, Ontario, Canada;).

    3. [S188] Royal Genealogies Website (ROYAL92.GED).