#robert curthose

[illustratus]

Robert of Normandy Rallying the Crusaders (Cassell's Illustrated History of England) by Édouard François Zier

[wandering-cemeteries]

Robert Curthose (c. 1051-1134), William the Conqueror's son. Robert took over his father's role as the Duke of Normandy, but never was the king of England. He actually died at one my favorite castles, Cardiff Castle in Wales. This tomb is just fantastic.

Gloucester Cathedral, England

[dreamconsumer]

Robert wounding his father William the Conqueror during a battle. By James William Edmund Doyle.

William's elder son Robert, enraged by a prank of his brothers William and Henry, who had doused him with filthy water, undertook what became a large scale rebellion against his father's rule. Only with King Philip's additional military support was William able to confront Robert, who was then based in Flanders. During the battle of 1079, William was unhorsed and wounded by Robert, who lowered his sword only after recognising him.

[official-english-major]

"Bro it's just a prank!"

The prank:

[thebeesareback]

I absolutely love it when people discuss the divine rights of the monarchy or in any way treat it with reverence because

1- wtaf

2- a rebellion was once led against William the Conqueror by his son, Robert Curthose. Robert was upset because his brothers emptied a chamber pot over his head, and William didn't punish them

It's hard to believe that there's anything noble about people who will happily dump shit on their brother

[the-enawon]

I headcanon William the Conqueror as a father who doesn't pick favorites, and is doing everything he can to ensure his family never gets to experience the horrors he did in his adolescence at the hands of egomaniac noblemen.

However, William's definition of protection means overexerting the control he never had over every little thing in his environment, including the entire course of his children's lives.

I feel like William's conflict with Curthose is a mix of William's fear of losing control and being triggered by the same old feelings of betrayal he felt from those noblemen all over again, and Curthose fighting to have his personhood acknowledged and respected.

my deep seated hatred of william the conqueror stems from his treatment of his eldest son, often setting him aside for his brother, william rufus. robert curthose did nothing wrong except be dummy thicc and get drunk every now and again. he honestly deserved better than being disowned. if william was actually a good parent he would help his son get over his alcoholism instead of disowning him cause his friends stole his clothes and he couldn’t go to mass. he would also yell at rufus and henry for pouring a champerpot on poor robert’s head but he didn’t because he sucks as a parent and favors rufus and henry. stop being mean to robert curthose. his dad disowned him and his brothers poured literal shit on his head and his son died before he did. 

tl;dr: stan robert fitzwilliam. keep thotting it up in heaven, king. 

[aethelflaedel]

this is probably really niche but. the baratheon brothers as the sons of william the conqueror???

1) the eldest son is called robert...

2) stannis as robert curthose!! firstly, robert curthose felt offended that his father (the king) gave him the freshly-conquered seat (the english throne) rather than the ancestral seat, (normandy). compare this to stannis complaining about robert giving him dragonstone (targ seat) over storm's end (ancestral seat). not to mention, both stannis and robert curthose struggled to see that they were being treated as heirs (to the seven kingdoms, to england).

3) william rufus very likely being gay and surrounding himself with young handsome knights.... WHOOO does that remind you of.

4) william rufus dies and INSTANTLY henry travels to england to be crowned ahead of any other claimants. it's giving stannis. also henry was known for being ruthless and having disputes with the church, which is stannis to a T. not to mention, henry only had one (legitimate) daughter who he named as his heir (i.e shireen)

in conclusion: the baratheon brothers are william rufus, robert curthose and henry i but in like, wonky order. also stannis is simultaneously henry AND robert curthose. I don't know too much about these three because I'm more knowledgeable about matilda onwards, but these are just the similarities I've been able to observe so far. grrm try not to write english history challenge

[historyreimagined24]

The Wars of the Magna Carta: Rebellion, Power, and the Birth of Constitutional Law

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is one of the most iconic documents in English history. It was a peace treaty between King John of England and a group of rebellious barons, who were frustrated with the king's oppressive rule and high taxes. While the Magna Carta itself was not initially intended as a revolutionary charter for human rights, it became a symbol of the struggle against tyranny and the foundation of constitutional law in the centuries that followed.

However, the path to the signing of the Magna Carta was far from peaceful. The events leading to its creation, including the wars and battles that ensued, were defined by conflict, rebellion, and a delicate balance of power. These wars are known as the Wars of the Magna Carta, a series of military campaigns between the crown and the barons, and later between factions vying for control of the English throne.

The Struggles Leading to War: King John’s Rule

King John, who ascended the throne of England in 1199, is often regarded as one of the most unpopular monarchs in English history. His reign was marked by a series of failures and contentious policies. The early part of his reign saw the loss of English territories in France, which severely weakened his position. His attempts to reclaim these lands through costly wars strained the royal finances, leading to heavy taxation of the nobility and common people alike.

John’s relationship with his barons grew increasingly strained as he imposed arbitrary taxes and seized their lands without due process. He also engaged in frequent disputes with the Church, which further alienated powerful groups within his kingdom. His behavior created widespread resentment among the English nobility, many of whom were tired of his extortionate taxes, arbitrary rule, and lack of military success.

The Rebellion and the Road to the Magna Carta

In 1215, a group of rebellious barons, driven by frustration with King John's oppressive policies, banded together to force the king into negotiating a peace settlement. They took control of London and demanded that the king accept a series of reforms. This confrontation led to the Magna Carta, a document that would limit the king’s powers and protect the barons' rights.

The Magna Carta outlined various freedoms and protections, including the right to a fair trial and limitations on the king’s ability to levy taxes without the consent of the realm. It also established that the king was not above the law—a radical concept at the time. However, the document’s significance was not fully realized in 1215. The Magna Carta was initially a temporary peace agreement that would soon dissolve into renewed conflict.

The Wars of the Magna Carta: The First Battle of Runnymede

The First Battle of Runnymede is considered one of the pivotal moments in the Wars of the Magna Carta. After the Magna Carta was signed by King John on June 15, 1215, it quickly became apparent that the agreement was not enough to resolve the underlying tensions. King John, under pressure from his allies and feeling humiliated by the forced treaty, soon declared the charter null and void, labeling it as a product of "violent coercion."

This led to a breakdown of the peace and the beginning of open warfare. King John and his loyalists faced the barons and their military forces in a series of skirmishes. However, the conflict was not a straightforward battle. The war was marked by shifting allegiances, changing strategies, and a divided country. Barons fought amongst themselves, and some switched sides, while others continued to resist King John’s authority.

The Civil War and the Death of King John

The conflict eventually escalated into a full-blown civil war. By 1216, the barons, led by powerful figures such as Robert Fitzwalter and Eustace de Vesci, were successfully gaining ground against the king’s forces. King John, weakened by illness and military setbacks, saw his authority further eroded. As the barons marched towards London, the political and military balance shifted in their favor.

On October 18, 1216, King John passed away under mysterious circumstances at the age of 49. His death marked the end of the immediate conflict. His son, Henry III, who was only nine years old at the time, succeeded him to the throne. The regency of the young king saw the barons secure greater control and influence, culminating in the final acceptance of the Magna Carta and its principles.

The Aftermath and Legacy

Following King John's death, the War of the Magna Carta came to a close. However, the document itself would continue to shape English governance for centuries to come. The principles established by the Magna Carta were only partially implemented in the short term, but they laid the groundwork for the development of constitutional monarchy in England.

The document's legacy was further cemented over the centuries as English kings, one after another, were forced to acknowledge the limits of their power. By the 17th century, when the English Civil War broke out, Magna Carta had come to represent the struggle for individual liberty and the sovereignty of law over arbitrary royal authority.

Conclusion: A Struggle for Freedom and Constitutional Power

The Wars of the Magna Carta were not only a series of military campaigns between a king and rebellious barons, but also a foundational conflict that ultimately shaped the course of English history. The Magna Carta, which arose out of this turbulent period, remains a cornerstone of democratic ideals, influencing political thought in England and beyond.

The wars themselves were brutal, marked by shifting alliances and power struggles, but the ideals that emerged from this conflict—limiting the absolute power of kings and promoting the rights of the governed—have resonated through history. Today, the Magna Carta stands as a reminder of the enduring struggle for justice, liberty, and the rule of law.

[delicatuscii-wasbella102]

The Tomb of Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy and son of William the Conqueror, in Gloucester Cathedral

[the-enawon]

"Henry, I've already forgiven you ages ago... for everything. The only thing I want now, to wish for, is just... for things to turn out differently, you know?"

When Robert [Curthose] arrived home in Normandy a month later, he was unable to shake Henry’s hold on England. Six years after that, when military tension broke into open warfare at Tinchebray in southwestern Normandy, Robert was defeated and captured by Henry’s forces. The remaining three decades of his life were lived in captivity, where he abandoned any attempt to revitalise his cause in favour of a contemplative existence spent writing poetry and, from his comfortable quarters in Cardiff Castle, learning to speak Welsh.

i think robert curthose and edgar æðeling deserve a prize for weirdest fate for any claimant to the throne

[scotianostra]

The 1st May marks the anniversary of the death of a remarkable Scottish born woman.

She is known to us by the Norman-French title “Matilda of Scotland” born around 1080 at Dunfermline and Christened with the name Edith,one of the eight children of King Malcolm III of Scotland and his second wife Saint Margaret. At her christening were her godfather Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy and the eldest son of King William I of England (the Conqueror) and her godmother, Matilda of Flanders, the wife of King William I of England (the Conqueror). The infant Matilda pulled at Queen Matilda’s headdress, which was seen as an omen that the younger Matilda would be a queen one day. In fact, she would marry Queen Matilda’ s son and Robert Curthose’s brother, King Henry I of England.

Thus with links to three different cultures, Anglo-Saxon, Scottish and Norman French, Edith was a marriageable prospect, but her eventual betrothal to Henry I of England seems, by all accounts, to have been a love match as much as a dynastic union. She was free to marry only after a court case at which she had to prove that her stay in a convent was for purposes of protection and that she never formally took the veil of a nun, such were the religious complexities at the time.

The character, education and birthright of Matilda of Scotland seem to have given her a high degree of autonomy at Henry’s court. She also had her separate sources of income, her own retinue of staff and was frequently left in virtual charge of the realm during his regular absences in Normandy. Her charters cover a wide range of issues and she was particularly interested in architecture, being responsible for several abbey building projects as well as bridge construction and the provision of England’s first public toilets, attached to a bath complex near at Queenhithe, a small and ancient ward of the City of London.

It is possible that in 1114 she sent masons north with her brother Alexander when he returned to Scotland after fighting alongside Henry in Wales. She herself was said to have “fluent honeyed speech” by Marbodius of Rennes and she filled her court with poets and musicians. She was responsible for commissioning a biography of her mother Margaret who was also renowned in Scotland for bringing light and colour to the Scottish Royal Court.

It is believed that Matilda (Edith) only returned once to Scotland during her lifetime and, due to the lack of surviving documentary evidence, her influence in Scotland is unknown. However, she is believed to have had a close relationship with her brothers, three of whom were kings north of the border.

Also absent from our history books, she may just possibly be better known to us as the “fair lady” in the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is falling down”. Her works of charity made her a queen beloved of all Londoners who also probably claimed her as a Wessex girl despite her Scottish birthplace.

Matilda of Scotland fulfilled her dynastic duty by giving birth to both a daughter, also called Matilda, and a son, William. William died in a tragic boat disaster shortly after Matilda’s own early death in 1118. She was only 38. Her daughter Matilda married the German Emperor Henry V and is known to us today as the Holy Roman Empress Matilda, the princess who became embroiled in a bitter English Civil War.

There is loads more about our forgotten English Queen here http://garethrussellcidevant.blogspot.com/.../daughter-of...

[inky-duchess]

In history, has a second son ever tried to take the throne from the first born son?

Multiple younger siblings have had desires for the throne. There's King John, Arsinoe IV, Robert Curthose (though this is a reverse case, an older brother with designs on his younger sibling's throne), the Comte de Provence, the Comte d’Artois, Elizabeth I.

[whencyclopedia]

William II of England

William II of England, sometimes called William 'Rufus' for his red hair and complexion, reigned as the king of England from 1087 to 1100 CE. The son of William the Conqueror (r. 1066-1087 CE), the younger William was loyal to his father, unlike his elder brother Robert Curthose, and so it was he who inherited the crown of England. William and Robert, who became the Duke of Normandy, would later battle for control of each other's territory, but they eventually reached a reconciliation. Put down in the history books as an unpopular king who lived the high life while fleecing the state and Church, he at least consolidated the gains of his father and permitted his successor, another brother, Henry I of England (r. 1100-1135 CE), to enjoy a long and largely peaceful reign which gave the country some much-needed stability following the turbulent Norman Conquest of England.

Continue reading...

[salantami]

Cobbled street and half timbered homes in Gerberoy

Gerberoy is a commune in the Oise department in northern France, in the old pays of Beauvaisis. 

The old village with many half-timbered houses, and traces of the medieval castle, is listed in the plus beaux villages de France (Most beautiful French villages).

The siege and battle of Gerberoy was fought between William the Conqueror and his son Robert Curthose in the winter of 1078–79.

[whencyclopedfr]

Guillaume II le Roux

Guillaume II d'Angleterre, parfois appelé Guillaume "Rufus" (le Roux) en raison de ses cheveux roux et de son teint, régna en tant que roi d'Angleterre de 1087 à 1100. Fils de Guillaume le Conquérant (r. de 1066 à 1087), le jeune Guillaume fut fidèle à son père, contrairement à son frère aîné Robert Curthose, et c'est donc lui qui hérita de la couronne d'Angleterre. Guillaume et Robert, devenu duc de Normandie, s'affronteraient plus tard pour le contrôle de leurs territoires respectifs, mais ils finiraient par se réconcilier. Considéré dans les livres d'histoire comme un roi impopulaire qui menait la grande vie tout en flouant l'État et l'Église, il consolida au moins les acquis de son père et permit à son successeur, un autre frère, Henri Ier d'Angleterre (r. de 1100 à 1135), de jouir d'un règne long et largement pacifique qui apporta au pays une stabilité bien nécessaire après la turbulente conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands.

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