Richard III, Duke of Normandy
| Richard III | |
|---|---|
 Richard III as part of the Six Dukes of Normandy statue in the town square of Falaise. | |
| Duke of Normandy | |
| Reign | 1027 |
| Predecessor | Richard II |
| Successor | Robert I |
| Born | 1001 |
| Died | 3 February 1027 Normandy |
| House | House of Normandy |
| Father | Richard II, Duke of Normandy |
Richard III (1001–1027) was the eldest son of Richard II, who died in 1027.[1] Richard's short reign lasted less than a year. It opened with a revolt by his brother and finished in his death by unknown causes.
Life
Before succeeding his father, Richard II, perhaps about 1020, he had been sent by his father in command of a large army, to attack bishop/count Hugh of Chalon in order to rescue his brother-in-law, Reginald, later Count of Burgundy, whom the count/bishop had captured and imprisoned.[2]
When Richard II died in August of 1026, as the eldest son, Richard III became Duke of Normandy. Shortly after his reign began his brother Robert, discontented with his province of Hyemes on the border of Normandy, revolted against his brother. He laid siege to the town of Falaise, but was soon brought to heel by Richard who captured him, then released him on his oath of fealty. No sooner had Richard disbanded his army and returned to Rouen, he died suddenly (some say suspiciously). The duchy passed to his younger brother Robert I.[3]
Marriage
In January of 1027 he was married to Adela[4] a younger daughter of Robert II of France and Constance of Arles.[4] After Richard's death 6 August 1027,[1] Adela secondly married Baldwin V, Count of Flanders.[4]
Issue
By an unknown mistress (or mistresses), he had two children:
- Alice/Alix of Normandy who married Ranulph, Viscount of Bayeux.[1][5]
- Nicolas, Monk at Fecamp, Abbot of Saint-Ouen, Rouen (died 26 Feb 1092)[1][6]
References
- ^ a b c d Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band III Teilband 1, Herzogs und Grafenhäuser des Heiligen Römischen Reiches Andere Europäiche Fürstenhäuser (Marburg, Germany: Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 79
- ^ François Neveux, A Brief History of the Normans, trans. Howard Curtis (Constable & Robbinson, Ltd, London, 2008), pp. 97-8
- ^ David Crouch, The Normans: The History of a Dynasty, (Hambledon Continuum, 2007), p. 46
- ^ a b c Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band III Teilband 1, Herzogs und Grafenhäuser des Heiligen Römischen Reiches Andere Europäiche Fürstenhäuser (Marburg, Germany: Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 11
- ^ See David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (1977): 93 (“At the beginning of Duke William’s reign the vicomte of the Bessin was Rannulf, who was the son of a vicomte named Anschitil. He married a daughter of Duke Richard III and was among the defeated rebels at Val-ès-Dunes. None the less, the office continued in the family, for he was succeeded by another Rannulf (II) who was established at Avranches before the Norman conquest, and who survived until after April 1089. Moreover, this second Rannulf married Maud, daughter of Richard, vicomte of the Avranchin, thus linking together two powerful vice-comital dynasties which were later in turn to determine the succession of the earldom of Chester.”).
- ^ David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (University of California Press, 1964), p. 32. See also Wailly et al., Recueil des Historiens des Gaules et de la France 23 (1894): 379 (E Directorio Monasterii Sancti Audoeni Rotomagensis, Ex Calendario: “26 Febr. Obiit Nicholas abbas.”), 385 (“Selon cheu qui est contenu es croniques des Normans, Richart li tiers, duc de Normendie, fix du secont Richart duc, out un fix appelé Nichole, qui fu moine à Fescampe, et après fu abbe de l’abaie de Saint-Ouen de Rouen”), 387 (Extrait des Chroniques de Saint-Ouen de Rouen: Nicholas, Abbot of Saint-Ouen, Rouen styled “son of Duke Richard III” [Nichole, fix au tiers duc Richart de Normendie]).