Robert of Nevers

Robert of Nevers , (1035 † 1098), known as Robert Burgundian the or Robert Allobroge , lord of Craon, wire of Renaud Ier of Nevers and Alix of France.

Biography

Origin

Robert the Burgundian one, who became lord of Sablé by his alliance with the girl remained single of Geoffroy de Sablé. His/her older brothers were Guillaume, count de Nevers, Henri and GUI. It was high at the court of the count of Aquitaine and with that of the count of Anjou, where it called successively his/her large aunt Agnès of Burgundy, widow of Guillaume V of Aquitaine, and woman of Geoffroy Martel which she married in 1032.

Helped of Geoffroy Martel, its second husband, Agnès for her two sons the paternal succession of the Aquitaine and the Poitou had obtained. It protected of the same Robert, his godson, formed it especially, and never wire did not benefit better from the lessons of his/her mother. When this adoptive mother was repudiated, after twenty years of union, his/her adoptive son did not lose the confidence of Geoffroy Martel, that it had been useful well, and for which its enlightened presence and its services were a need.

First appearance

One does not find Robert the Burgundian associated one with the acts with Foulque Nerra, because as of this time it was attached to the person of Geoffroy Martel, almost always in war with his father. One quotes however a title of the Ronceray, gone back to 1035, in which GUI appears, “ brother of Robert ”, and this quality given to an older brother, seems to indicate that the notoriety of the young brother was larger than his. The first time that it is named personally, it is in 1039, at the time of the murder of a cousin of Geoffroy Martel. It is also undoubtedly the time of its alliance with the heiress of Sanded, of which the father, Geoffroy, does not reappear any more after the foundation of Solesmes (1010), and whose brothers had certainly died also, because it is not any more question, if not by error, in one of the confirmations of the foundation of Solesmes which one cannot call upon the authority, the names of the witnesses being systematically scrambled there. This rich person alliance was due to the influence of Geoffroy Martel, and especially to that of the Agnès countess, protective of the young lord, who had not sought the orphan one if it had not been in possession of the heritage.

Baron de Craon

The first significant event which meets in the career of the Burgundian one, and which doubled its fortune, was the gift of the Baronnie de Craon, made in its favor by Geoffroy Martel.

Breach

If one believed of it the constitutive instrument of the Abbaye of Vendôme, of the May 21st 1040, this infeodation would have taken place before even this date, since she is reported there, cum honorem Credonensem Roberto Burgundo donavimus , said the founder. But it necessarily should be admitted that the charter is at least interpolated for this passage and other articles.

This date is contradicted besides by a very precise note of Cartulaire of Saint-Aubin. The monks affirm there that the first donation of Saint-Clement had been made to them by Suhart the Old man, first lord of Craon, after 1007, date of birth of Geoffroy Martel, who complains that his/her father nor he had not confirmed it. Foulque Nerra, father of Geoffroy Martel, still lived when Guerin succeeded Suhart, its father, and Suhart II, brother of Guerin, it having replaced, Saint-Aubin kept some time the church Saint-Clement, under Geoffroy Martel. All that, affirms one with precision, required more than forty years, and this estimate of the monks of Saint-Aubin who would carry out us after the year 1050, harmony with the March 26th 1053, date probable of the abandonment of Craon with Robert the Burgundian one, and does not offer contradictions of the charters of Vendôme. According to those, sometimes it is Suhart the old man, punished tyrant of confiscation and which, on a right judgment of God, finished his life of impurity by a deserved death; sometimes it is Suhart the young person. We still see there that the resumption of the church on Saint-Aubin is caused either by the defect of assent of the authorities ecclesiastical and comtale with the transfer first, or by the fault of the angevine abbey which had not met the imposed conditions, or finally by the breach of the baron de Craon. culprit of a breach that everyone knows, which is stripped justifiably.

What is there at the bottom of this charge of breach which would have justified a confiscation on the lord de Craon by Geoffroy Martel? A tradition which one does not see the origin, posterior however with the charters and the chronicles of the 13th century, tells that a baron de Craon would have carried the homage of his fields to the duke of Brittany by frustrating some the count of Anjou, its legitimate suzerain. The word of breach being in a text of the Cartulaire of the abbey of Vendôme , can have given rise to the legend that Pierre the Baud would have inserted in its Histoire of Brittany , from where it came to us in all the works. The authors, even modern, including Household, Dom Morice, in its History of Brittany , admitted this dramatic account; Dom Piolin, D. De Bodard, the Abbot Métais, writer of the Cartulaire de Vendôme , accepted the legend with all its details. A. Bertrand de Broussillon stated anything to include/understand with the breach. Louis Halphen only concluded that all was romantic in this account, including the war which was followed from there with Robert Ier de Vitré.

The Abbé Angot does not know how the first, author of the history of the Maison of Craon , did not see anything of abnormal in the succession of the barons of the first house of Craon such as it presents it to us: Guerin, oldest son of Suhart Ier, succeeding to him, that is regular; but Suhart II, brother of Guerin, substitute his elder, whereas Guerin had left a girl, named Berthe, married to Robert I of Glazed, that is not possible any more. The heritage of Craon was acquired with this one. How to explain this infringement with the invariable rules of heredity? It true that Robert seems to have been, during a few years, is deprived of the pleasure of its own stronghold (at least one only once finds a lord of Glazed named differently, perhaps by error). But Robert remaria after its first widowhood and had three children of this second marriage after 1090. The elder one succeeded to him. Lastly, the fact is certain: Suhart the young person succeeded his brother, with the damage of his niece.

For the Angot abbot, it is this irregular transmission which constitutes the act of félonie, causes confiscation of Craon per Geoffroy Martel, and the confiscation, followed by the infeodation of the baronnie to Robert the Burgundian one, caused a war of the baron of Vitré, husband of the legitimate heiress of Craon, and the duke of Brittany, against the count of Anjou. If Suhart de Craon is mixed there in the legend, it can be an invention of chronicler, or a return of the baron to justice towards his niece. Louis Halphen did not see the difficulty, because it supposes Suhart the young person wire and not brother of Guerin, but it is certainly mistaken ( Comté in Anjou , p. 142, N. 2, and counts, with the word Guerin de Craon).

The confiscation of the baronnie of Craon and that of the church of Saint-Clement are two related, but distinct questions. The baronnie, by a rule of the feudal right, had been allocated to the suzerain after the violation of the hereditary right by Suhart the young person, of agreement undoubtedly with Guerin, his brother, with the damage of his niece. It is always as the charters speak about it: “ Cum honor Credonis ab heredibus islands which donationem fecerat, dominicus in manum suam (Gaufridi) per forfacta eorum devenisset ”, as one reads several times there, the count accepted the duty to break the donation and to allot the church of Saint-Clement to the Trinity of Vendôme by removing it Saint-Aubin, and then to concede, after the March 26th 1053, the baronnie of Craon with Robert the Burgundian one.

This first act always preserved its value. But the confiscation of the baronnie and the infeodation which was made by it in Robert the Burgundian one, in spite of the multiple circumstances where it had been avoided of this title, were declared null and void, and when it Maria her oldest son with the girl of Berthe, Enoguen de Vitré, heiress legitimates baronnie, this sons, named Renaud, declared frankly that it held the baronnie of Craon only of his marriage and not of the paternal heritage. It is true that one was then under the government of Geoffroy Bearded the and either under that of Geoffroy Martel. One should not seek elsewhere the explanation of the family convention under the terms of which Robert the Burgundian one kept for him the seigniory of Sanded which came to him from the chief of his wife and left with her son, husband of Enoguen de Vitré, the baronnie of Craon.

Geoffroy Martel

Robert the Burgundian one had carried the title of baron de Craon until the marriage of his son. One sees by the nomination which Geoffroy Martel had given him that the knight, for a long time lord of Sanded, did not require more for protection of his aunt Agnès for Burgundy, repudiated since 1052, and that he enjoyed more than ever of the favor the count. Towards 1055, Geoffroy Martel was partly of countryside ( deambulandi caused ) with his new wife with the island of Tirmont, accompanied by the first members of the clergy and large secular characters, and it is already Robert the Burgundian one who is at the head of all the others, including the baron of Castle-Gontier, Alard Ier of Castle-Gontier. It was it always since. It had already attended the principal foundations of Geoffroy Martel, towards 1040 with that of Vendôme, in 1047 with the erection of the chapter of Saint-Laud, and with all the contemporary foundations of the Anjou.

The first duty of the lord of Sanded towards the count of Anjou was been useful of the weapons. It is not doubtful that it discharged some accurately because same of the confidence which he enjoyed at Geoffroy Martel. It took especially share with the Campagne of Passed against Guillaume Bastard the. It was not crowned success since it leads to the defeat of Geoffroy Martel to Ambrières; but there is still glory to be beaten by a similar adversary. Under Geoffroy the Bearded one, nephew and successor of Geoffroy Martel, Robert had the same authority.

Geoffroy the Bearded one

A forwarding started again at the beginning of 1063 to go in the Maine to carry help to Gautier de Mantes against Guillaume the Bastard Gautier, known as Guillaume of Poitiers, had called it with him several times, naming it its lord and his guard. It had even a difficulty with Marmoutier about the vassal ones of the abbey which it wanted to convene with its ost when it prepared this countryside “ adversus Bigotos ”. The role of Robert the Burgundian one does not make it possible to doubt that it took part in this forwarding. It was still a failure besides, because Guillaume the Bastard one, who came to take possession of the county of Maine to him fallen by death without children of the count Herbert II of Maine, seized the Mans, then of Mayenne, to be avenged for Geoffroy II of Mayenne, chief of the party manceau. The war did not last longer, and even Guillaume the Bastard one wanted that his son, count of Maine, for this reason lent homage to Geoffroy the Bearded one, in front of him, with Alençon.

William the Conqueror

A charter of 1068, concerning the priory of Brûlon, would make believe that Robert the Burgundian one was faithful and fidélissime Conqueror; it was its vassal for Sablé, but this term can get along only in this feudal direction; attached to the person of the count d' Anjou, it was other thing, as we suit it to see.

With him it appears in the act concerning the fortification of Saint-Florent, at the head of all the assistants, beside Renaud II of Castle-Gontier which was to betray its Master; but it was not with this last of the number of those which delivered their Master to his brother. It however had a role in the scene, by lending its castle to be used to him as prison. The new count made there keep April 4th with the July 16th 1067, day when Robert the Burgundian one made on the church of Bouchamp a foundation for its first benefactor Geoffroy Martel. The August 7th according to, with Chaumont, of which the king Philippe Ier made the seat with Geoffroy the Bearded one and Foulque Réchin, his/her brother, against Sulpice d' Amboise, which had perhaps ruffled the two brothers while being declared neither for one nor for the other, Robert and Avoise, his wife, made another foundation which I would believe readily a memory and an atonement of the captivity of the count d' Anjou. They equipped Marmoutier with the church of Saint-Malo and other churches of Sanded, with clause which the canons who served them would progressively be replaced of their death by a monk. They supplemented their foundation of the clearings of the Forêt of Bouère, of a place to make a borough, of a half of the habits, church of Angliers and six arpents vine in Loudun ois. This foundation caused later serious difficulties with the Seam.

Whatever were the feelings of Robert for Geoffroy the Bearded one, when Foulque Réchin was scrambled again with him, overcame it and imprisoned it for the end of its days, the lord of Sanded lined up under the orders of the winner. But it was not any more him which kept the prisoner, locked up with the Château of Chinon, where nobody was interested any more in him until his death (1096 or 1099). Robert the Burgundian one also accurately served the new count and in the same honourable row, with the primacy which it had had already at Martel and of Geoffroy the Bearded one.

Foulque Réchin having destroyed in its wars the convent of Saint-Florent, Robert, his Guy brother and Guy II of Laval attended the dedication of the new abbey, with the head of all the lords of the county (March 11th 1068). In 1073, a truce was concluded between Foulque Réchin and William the Conqueror. The Gallia Christiana supposes that it was with Hélie of the Arrow, but it is mistaken. Remainder the event would have in any case the same significance, because Jean of the Arrow, and not Hélie of the Arrow, was most powerful of the partisans of the king of England in Maine.

In 1076 took place the hard payment between the abbeys of the Seam and Marmoutier for their priories of Solesmes and of Sanded. The business showed the patience of Robert the Burgundian one and partiality for the Seam of the Arnaud bishop, in favor of William the Conqueror and enemy of Foulque Réchin. Invited to deliver its opinion, Robert, witness more lit and more interested in the question, did it in a speech whose monks preserved us two draftings different of style, but similar to the bottom, starting with a history of the city of Sanded: construction of the castle, of the churches, replacement of the chapter of Saint-Malo by the priory of the same name, then establishment of Solesmes, its multiple claims whose speaker recognizes only it right of burial of the middle-class men of the city. It finishes while saying: Do the monks of the Seam have the right to assert these privileges? Dicat which intelligit .

The bishop made all the possible oppositions, asked for the re-establishment of the canons, removed for misconduct, threatened, threw the interdict on the city of Sanded. Advised by the archbishop of Turns, Robert supported with a respectful patience the tests caused by his bishop. Was needed, to be right of the opposition of Arnaud, that his/her colleagues declared to him that they would pass in addition to if it did not raise itself his interdict. Robert the Burgundian one had not been able to go in Mans to follow the lawsuit because of his war, ditil, but it went to Tours for the decision. This war was undoubtedly the continuous state of hostility where the count of Anjou against William the Conqueror, and particularly the seat of Dol that it was a question of making raise, and the fight against Jean of the Arrow which was had to be reduced.

The most honest knights angevins were in Dol; it can to make that Robert Burgundian was number, if he were not with the continuation of Jean of the Arrow and the seat of the Arrow that Foulque gave up, there having been wounded (following September and October, and months). The fight was hardly stopped, crossed of a truce in 1079, taken again with the Breton S for associated in 1081. The Arrow was taken then, and concluded peace with Blanchelande, thanks to the intervention of the Hubert cardinal, agent of Hildebrand in Normandy, and of the monks who were thrown between the armies Norman and angevine. The fight took again in 1083 more, led by Hubert II of Beaumont, lord also of Fresnay and Holy-Suzanne, and the contest of Foulque Réchin, because if it personally did not appear among the large ones of Maine, of Anjou, of the Aquitaine, of Burgundy, it sent to it its principal representative, his adviser, Robert the Burgundian one. One fought with eagerness of the Château of Holy-Suzanne to the Camp of Baugi, and, with saying Orderic Vital, peace was done on the proposals of Hubert with William the Conqueror (1083 - 1085 or beginning of 1086). Peace was honourable.

Robert Courteheuse

Since then Robert remained in the feudal obedience of Robert Courteheuse, successor of William the Conqueror. In 1090, it fulfills near the duke of Normandy a mission of Foulque Réchin which had promised to ruin a new revolt of manceaux, in favor of Hugues V of Maine, wire of Azzon, income of Italy, if the duke wanted to get the alliance of Bertrade to him de Montfort. The negotiation succeeds and Robert the Burgundian one lent to the duke the help his weapons or of his councils: “ cum Robertus Burgundus Vetulus AD serviendum Roberto comiti perrexisset ” (1090 - 1092).

During this time, Hoël, bishop of Mans, in fight with Hugue V and hillock with the intrigues of the Hilgot canon and of its cabal, had sought to awake Robert Courteheuse, then had passed in England to ask for the help of William Rufus; from there returned in France, it had sent to Sablé, where its partisans had taken refuge, to put under the guard of Robert Burgundian the treasure of the cathedral of which the count threatened to seize, and had celebrated in Solesmes the Pentecost and Easter (May 16th 1092). Reconciled finally with the count, it had returned in Mans (July 27th), while Hugue negotiated with Hélie of the Arrow a transaction which ensured this last the pleasure of the county.

Crusade

Robert the Burgundian one, income in Anjou as of January 1092, was of return to Sablé the August 29th. Less than four years later, it was there the object of the most glorious distinction. The pope Urbain II, which had just issued the crusade with Clermont, arrived at Sablé the February 14th to request the contest of the old lord, who awaited it in his walls and had deprived himself for that to be with the reception of Angers at the sides of Foulque Réchin. He yielded to the prayer of sovereign pontiff, took the cross, training with him the baron of Castle-Gontier, his son-in-law, and a crowd of knights. But it left only in 1098 because of the threats of king d' Angleterre, assignee of the rights of Robert Courteheuse, left itself for Jerusalem, against Foulque Réchin. The lord of Sanded then gave his stronghold to his son Robert II and prepared chrétiennement with forwarding, renewed by increasing them his gifts with the abbeys, with his intention as with those of Geoffroy Martel, Renaud and Robert, his sons, of Berthe, his wife; Marmoutier, especially, was at the time of the departure the object of special favors. The Abbé Bernard had come to find it in Sablé: it gave him inter alia the ground of a new borough, and made a gift with the prior, the March 10th. It was forwarded then to Marmoutier with a chaplain and Hardouin de Vion, its knight, which was to accompany it in Holy Land. With Turns, it accepted a hastened reception and the promise of the votes of the monks; it confirmed on its side its former gifts, added others of them and, like signal of its passage, forwarded to Burgonde, its daughter, remained with Sablé, the ring of gold that she had entrusted to him.

Since this day one did not hear any more of that which had filled of the noise of its name, its benefits, its works, all the province. Much more, him which left a flourishing family, a woman, friends, does not have her name with the nécrologe of any abbey. It was said ubiquist and one nowhere any more does not find it of the day when he dies in the rows of the crusaders.

Possessions

The principal possessions of Robert the Burgundian one in Maine where it was foreign, were Sablé, including the forest of Bouère which advanced until near the city. The baronnie of Craon was granted to him towards 1055 and it kept of it the title and the pleasure perhaps until in 1067, since he was then suzerain de Bouchamp. It had fields in Loudunois where the church of Angliers was. Brion belonged to him before 1060, though Célestin Port allots the gift of it to Foulque Réchin. The seigniory of Noyen, including/understanding Saint-Germain d' Amné, was, according to the abbot Angot, the dowry of Berthe, his second wife, since one it sees of it carrying the title only at the end of his life, and that his wife and Alard II of Castle-Gontier, her grandson, intervene in the acts relating to this ground. Durtal was allotted to him in common with Marcouard de Daumeray by Foulque Réchin, but it was only for a time, as tutor of Hubert de Champagne which raised the name of Mathefelon.

Relationships to the clergy

Robert the Burgundian one had with the clergy and the monks of the generous processes and the friendly relations. He claimed abbeys of Marmoutier, Ronceray, of Saint-Aubin, Trinity of Vendôme, Saint Nicolas's Day, Saint-Florent of Saumur, the vote of their prayers and filled them benefits, recognized their privileges, their virtues, did not offend those which were opposed to him, often intervened with his/her friends to reconcile them with the monks.

He had officers and knights attached to his person, Ulric de Brûlon, his provost, Otherius and Bouchard, his men, Ulric which as well as left for Jerusalem with him Barthélemi and Hardouin de Vion, Foulque de Murs.

Ordinary functions

Its ordinary functions included/understood, in addition to the military service, the ministry for justice and the office of advising of the count. Always it was the first of the witnesses since 1080. The counts of Anjou did not have a Sénéchal in title at his time, but the load of it had been assured for him if it had existed. Its depositions took the form of parts oratories, as one saw in Sablé (1076), and as it is still seen when, questioned, him and Marcouart de Daumeray, on what they will do with respect to the monks with Durtal, not only he declares that he will respect their rights, but, speaking for its associate, he dictates the action to be taken to him on a tone of friendship and protection. “ Sic me Deus adjuvet ”, says it another time, by beginning a speech favorable to Saint-Aubin. He distributes liberally the councils, the opinions, for example with his son to commit it being less demanding towards the monks of Saint-Vincent, or in Renaud de Daumeray to prescribe a restitution with Marmoutier to him. Its ministry is varied: he and Renaud of Castle-Gontier are the laic assistants of a plaid held by the bishop and the count between Ronceray and Saint Nicolas's Day; it represents this last abbey in its complaints with Brains; as prosecutor of the count Foulque Réchin, it pronounces with the profit of Saint-Florent two sentences approved by the court; confirm a episcopal adjudication of the churches of Chantocé in Saint Nicolas's Day, and that of the Amat legate allotting to Montierneuf the church of Saint Nicolas's Day; itself pronounces a judgment for Saint Nicolas's Day of Angers in 1092; Foulque Réchin names it unus ex meis optimatibus . He is referee in 1093 between Marmoutier and the canons of Chemillé; associated with Foulque Réchin in a judgment in favor of Saint-Florent (1093). The presidency of the legal plaids entered its attributions, as one sees it in 1094 in company of Geoffroy de Mayenne, bishop of Angers, Marbœuf, Garnier and Foulque de Mathefelon. Holding its plaids in Saint-Maurice with ecclesiastical characters, he asks that the witnesses of the monks be exempted oath by respect for their customers (1096). He in addition makes respect his authority as in 1090, quoting in front of him, in Sablé, the abbot of Saint-Vincent, which goes to the summation with the bishop of Mans Hoël. The judge gives the church of Saint-Germain besides to him, object of a litigation.

With the counts whom it served under three reigns, and in difficult circumstances, it is constantly in favor. One does not see him disagreements with his neighbors, who know his justice and his firmness.

Family

Swage Sanded, or White, first woman of Robert the Burgundian one, married towards 1040, disappears from 1067 with 1070. She had given him three wire and a girl at least:

Renaud,
Geoffroy,
Robert, only son quoted with his elder Renaud, except in one or two charters of oldest of his/her father, was author of the branch of Sanded.
Burgonde.

The Angot abbot does not take account of a fourth wire, named Henri, that one allots to him following Gilles Ménage.

Robert the Burgundian one married in second weddings a named woman Berthe. A. Bertrand de Broussillon had advanced in its genealogy which it was the girl of Guerin de Craon, widow of Robert Ier de Vitré. But it reformed this opinion in the Maison of Laval , grateful that Berthe, woman of Robert de Vitré, had died before her husband, and could not have been woman of Robert the Burgundian one, remarié twenty years before the death of Robert de Vitré. The second woman of Robert was also named Berthe, of an unknown family, says one. One east can be oneself too much hastened to give him this qualification. It is certain that among the fields of Robert, it is one, in Noyen, including/understanding at least the parish of Saint-Germain and the suzerainty of Amné, which became its possession only towards the end of its life. The lord of Sanded, who had already obtained this ground equal to large the baronnies and also owed with the generosity of Geoffroy Martel the baronnie of Craon, would thus still have found the occasion, by his second alliance, to increase his fortune of a seigniory of the High-Maine, which passed in the heritage of his/her son junior, Robert.

Berthe did not give a child to her husband, but it is often quoted with him, qualified “ worthy lady ”, woman of Robert the Burgundian one. A. Bertrand de Broussillon puts forward the idea that the charter of 1108 of Geoffroy de Brion where him this title is given is wrongfully dated, since Berthe had been widowed for ten years. He of it is nothing. The charter was signed enters Mazé and the roadway of Refined where had met the counts of Anjou, Foulque Réchin and Foulque, his/her son, with Hélie, count of Maine. It is not doubtful that the object of the conference was the marriage of the future count d' Anjou with Ermengarde, girl of Hélie of the Arrow, which took place little before the death of Foulque Réchin, father of the young man, the April 14th 1109. Alleged the Anachronisme comes from what the death of Robert the Burgundian one, left for the crusade, was not yet known. Its chaplain Barthélemi, his knight, did not return more than their lord; his/her Robert son, left two years later, also died in Holy Land. Lastly, the first assertion of their disappearance is a charter of 1110 where Lisiard, grandson of Robert the Burgundian one, says lord of Sanded. Renaud III of Castle-Gontier also died in the holy countryside, but he at least had a mention of its glorious death before 1102. Renaud, oldest son of Robert, remained in his baronnie, died nevertheless at that time (December 1101).

Robert the Burgundian one was a remarkable man, the principal character of the family of Sanded, said Ménage. Benevolent, never not seeking quarrel, happy all its life, skilful, it rose in its medium at the most honourable station, having above him only its Master the count of Anjou. If he had lived, like its great-grandson by alliance, Guillaume of the Rocks, carried by fortune at the court of the kings, he had risen like him. Both were worthy one of the other.

Random links: