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Sunday, April 26, 2009

Richard II, The Good, Duke of Normandy

Richard II, The Good, Duke of Normandy was born 963 in Normandy. He was the son of Richard I, The Fearless of Normandy and Gunnor of Crepon. He acceded to the dukedom in 996.

He married about 1000, Judith De Bretagne (Judith of Brittany) in Mont Saint-Michel, daughtre of Conan I, "le Tort", Duke of Brittany. According to Oderic Vitalis, she founded the abbey of Bernay, Eure in 1025, but the date is inconsistent with the her date of death and Richard's second marriage.

He had children:

1. Richard III of Normandy, Duke of Normandy
2. Robert II the Devil, Duke of Normandy
3. William (Nicholas) monk at Fechamp b. about 1007/9
4.Alice(Adelaide or Judith) b. about 1003/5 married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy
5. Eleanor of Normandy married Baldwin IV, count of Flanders b. about 1011/13
6. Matilda b. about 1013/15 a nun at Fecamp


He married about 1017 Estrith (Margaret) of Denmark. Daughter of Svend I, King of Denmark. Adam of Bremen this marriage and says that after Richard repudiated her, she married Wolf, Duke of Anglia. She later married Ulf Thrugilson, Jarl. She may have had a daughter Popia by Richard.


He married about 1024 Papia of Envermeu, daughter of -----. Gullaume de Jumieges says she was Richard's second wife, as does Oderic Vitalis and The Chronicon Fontanellense. She is named in a charter granting property to the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel given by Richard.

He had children:
1. Mauger of Rouen, Archbishop of Rouen
2. William of Arques, Count of Arques
3. Papia

Ademar names Richard as son of "Richardus Rotomagensis"

Guillaume de Jumièges names (in order) "Richard, Robert, Mauger" as three of the five sons of Duke Richard and Gunnora

Robert of Torigny names "Ricardum…qui ei successit et Robertum postea archiepiscopum Rothomagensium et Malgerium comitem Curbuliensem, aliosque duos" as the sons of "Ricardi primi ducis Normanniæ" and Gunnora


Some sources give him another son named Godrey Gilbert,Count of Eu, the father of Gilbert De Clare. He was supposedly the son of Gunnor of Crepon or an illegitimate son.

He tried to improve relations with England through his sister's marriage to King Ethelred, But she was disliked by the English. This connection later gave his grandson William the Conqueror patrt of his claim to the English throne.

Richard II, Duke of Normandy died 28 August 1027 in Normandy.
Sources:
http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMANDY.htm#GuillaumeIdied942

Royal & Noble Genealogical Data On the Web
http://www3.dcs.hull.ac.uk/genealogy/royal/

http://www.castlewales.com/clares.html

Royal ancestors of Magna charta barons: including ancestry of John Talbot ...‎ - Page 68
by Carr Pritchett Collins - Nobility - 1959

Dictionary of national biography: Index and epitome‎ - Page 241
by Sir Leslie Stephen, Sidney Lee - Great Britain - 1906

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