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- Richard II, 4th Duc de Normandie was born circa 963 at Normandy, France. He was the son of Richard I, 3rd Duc de Normandie and Gunnor de Crêpon. He married, firstly, Judith de Bretagne, daughter of Conon I de Rennes, Duc de Bretagne and Ermengarde d'Anjou, circa 1000. He married, secondly, Astrid Sveynsdottir, daughter of Sveyn I 'Forkbeard' Haraldsson, King of Denmark and England and Sigrid 'the Haughty' (?), between 1017 and 1027. He and Astrid Sveynsdottir were divorced before 1024. He married, thirdly, Papia of Envermeu circa 1024. He died on 28 August 1027 at Normandy, France. Richard II, 4th Duc de Normandie also went by the nick-name of Richard 'the Good'. He succeeded to the title of 4th Duc de Normandie on 20 November 996.
Richard II (born 23 August 970, in Normandy, France - 28 August 1026, in Normandy), called the Good (French: Le Bon), was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.
Biography
Richard succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 996 but the first five years of his reign were spent with Count Ralph of Ivry wielding power and putting down a peasant insurrection.
When he took power he strengthened his alliance with the Capetians by helping Robert II of France against the duchy of Burgundy. He formed a new alliance with Brittany by marrying his sister Hawise to Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany and by his own marriage to Geoffrey's sister, Judith.
He also repelled an English attack on the Cotentin Peninsula that was led by Ethelred II of England. He pursued a reform of the Norman monasteries.
Connections to England
In 1013 AD, England was invaded by the Danes and Æthelred the Unready fled to his brother-in-law in Normandy. His marriage to Emma of Normandy, sister of Richard, had made them unpopular among the English.
Connections to Norway
In 1015 AD, Olaf II of Norway was crowned king. Prior to this, Prince Olaf had been in England and on his way to unite Norway he wintered with Duke Richard II of Normandy. In 881 AD, this region had been conquered by the Norsemen. As Duke Richard was an ardent Christian, and the Normans had converted to Christianity, Prince Olaf was baptized in Rouen.
Richard II (right), with the Abbot of Mont Saint Michel (middle) and Lothair of France (left).
Marriages
Richard attempted to improve relations with England through his sister Emma of Normandy's marriage to King Ethelred, but she was strongly disliked by the English. However, this connection later gave his grandson, William the Conqueror, part of his claim to the throne of England.
He married firstly (996) Judith (982-1017), daughter of Conan I of Brittany, by whom he had the following issue:
Richard (c. 1002/4), duke of Normandy
Alice (c. 1003/5), married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy
Robert (c. 1005/7), duke of Normandy
William (c. 1007/9), monk at Fécamp, d. 1025
Eleanor (c. 1011/3), married to Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders
Matilda (c. 1013/5), nun at Fecamp, d. 1033
Secondly he married Poppa of Envermeu, by whom he had the following issue:
Mauger (c. 1019), Archbishop of Rouen
William (c. 1020/5), count of Arques
Other marriages / children
Traditionally, Richard had a third wife named Astrid (Estritha), daughter of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of England, Denmark, and Norway, and Sigrid the Haughty. This is extremely unlikely, however, given the political situation.
An illegitimate daughter of Richard I, sometimes called "Papia", is also at times given as a daughter of Richard II. Tancred of Hauteville's two wives Muriella and Fredensenda are likewise given as daughters of "Duke Richard of Normandy", referring to either Richard I or Richard II.
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970 - 1026 (56 years)
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