Richard II, Duke of Normandy facts for kids
Richard II (died 1026), known as the Good, was the Duke of Normandy from 996 to 1026. He was the first ruler to officially use the title of Duke. Richard made his court look like a king's court. He asked a writer named Dudo of Saint-Quentin to write a detailed history of the Norman Dukes. This history showed their strong Christian faith and support for the church.
Contents
Becoming Duke and Early Rule
Richard II was the oldest son of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora. He became Duke of Normandy in 996 after his father died. For the first five years of his rule, Richard was still very young. His uncle, Count Ralph of Ivrea, helped him govern. Ralph quickly stopped a revolt by farmers at the start of Richard's time as Duke.
Richard was a very religious leader, much like his powerful ally, King Robert II of France. Richard used his army to help the king in battles against the duchy of Burgundy. He also created important family connections. He arranged for his sister, Hawise of Normandy, to marry Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany. This created an alliance with Brittany. Richard then strengthened this bond by marrying Geoffrey's sister, Judith of Brittany.
Dealing with Vikings and England
In the 980s, Vikings often attacked England. After their raids, they would cross the English Channel to Normandy to sell what they had taken. The Normans and Vikings had a good relationship. Richard's father had even hired Viking fighters in the 960s. He also let them find safety in Normandy. This caused problems with England and the Pope in Rome.
In 990, the Pope's representatives helped create a peace agreement between England and Normandy. Richard I, Richard II's father, agreed not to help England's enemies, including the Vikings. However, from 997 to 1000, a large Viking army attacked Wessex in England many times. In 1000, these Vikings came to Normandy, and Richard II allowed them to land. This broke the peace treaty his father had made with England.
English Attack on Normandy
In 1000-1001, the English king, Ethelred the Unready, attacked Normandy on the Cotentin Peninsula. King Ethelred had ordered his soldiers to capture Richard, put him in chains, and bring him to England. But the English were not ready for how fast the Norman horse soldiers responded. The Normans quickly defeated the English attack.
Richard wanted to make peace with the English king. He gave his sister, Emma of Normandy, in marriage to King Ethelred. Ethelred gave Emma the city of Exeter as a special gift. This marriage became very important later on. It gave Richard's grandson, William the Conqueror, a reason to claim the English throne.
In 1013, when Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England, Emma and her two sons, Edward and Alfred, escaped to Normandy. King Ethelred soon followed them after losing his throne. After Ethelred died, Cnut, King of England, forced Emma to marry him. Duke Richard had to accept this new ruler because his sister was now Queen again.
Building Norman Prestige
Richard II asked his clerk and priest, Dudo of Saint-Quentin, to write about his ancestors. Richard wanted Dudo to tell the story of the Norman dukes in a way that showed their good Christian morals. He wanted them to appear as good and honest leaders who built Normandy. This was important, especially since their Frankish neighbors often behaved badly. Some historians have called Dudo's work a form of "propaganda." While it includes many stories and legends, Dudo never claimed they were all facts. When he wrote his book, "Customs and Deeds of the First Dukes of the Normans," Dudo seemed to achieve his goal. He wanted "to tell in the noblest style the story of a noble destiny."
In 1025 and 1026, Richard confirmed gifts that his ancestor Rollo had given to Saint-Ouen at Rouen. He also gave many other gifts to monasteries. The names of these monasteries show the areas Richard controlled as Duke. These areas included Caen, the Éverecin, the Cotentin, the Pays de Caux, and Rouen.
Richard II died on August 28, 1026.
Richard's Family
Richard II married twice and had several children.
First Marriage
Around 1000, he married Judith (992–1017), who was the daughter of Conan I of Brittany. They had these children:
- Richard III: He became Duke after his father.
- Alice of Normandy: She married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy.
- Robert (born around 1005/7): He became Duke of Normandy after his brother.
- William: He became a monk at Fécamp.
- Eleanor: She married Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders.
- Matilda: She became a nun at Fecamp and died in 1033.
Second Marriage
His second wife was Poppa of Envermeu. They had these children:
- Mauger: He became the Archbishop of Rouen.
- William of Talou: He became count of Arques.
Other Children
Richard also had a daughter named Papia. She was the wife of Gulbert, who was an advocate of Saint Valery-en-Caux.
Images for kids
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Richard II (right), with the Abbot of Mont Saint-Michel (middle) and Lothair of France (left)
