Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury facts for kids

Robert de Bellême (born around 1052 – died after 1130) was a very powerful nobleman from Normandy. He was known as the lord of Bellême and Montgomery. He also held important titles like the 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury in England and Count of Ponthieu in France.

Robert was a key player in the struggles for power between the sons of William the Conqueror. These struggles decided who would rule England and Normandy. He belonged to the strong House of Bellême family. Some old writings describe Robert as a very harsh and difficult person.

Robert's Early Life and Family

Robert was the oldest son of Roger of Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel de Bellême. He was likely born between 1052 and 1056. In 1070, his parents took him to Bellême. This area became his mother's inheritance, and as the oldest son, it would one day be his.

Becoming a Knight and Inheriting Lands

In 1073, when William the Conqueror attacked Maine, Robert became a knight. William himself knighted him at Fresnai castle. By this time, Robert was old enough to make his own choices. He joined a revolt in 1077 led by Robert Curthose, who was William the Conqueror's son.

Around 1079, Robert's mother, Mabel, passed away. Robert then inherited her large estates. However, Duke William (the Conqueror) took a careful step. He placed his own soldiers in the Bellême castles. This was his right as duke. When William the Conqueror died in 1087, Robert's first action was to remove these soldiers from all his castles.

The Rebellion of 1088

In late 1087, Robert Curthose, who was the Duke of Normandy, learned about a plan. This plan was to make him King of England instead of his brother, William II. Duke Robert strongly supported this idea. Robert de Bellême, along with his brothers Hugh and another brother, joined this rebellion.

Fighting Against the King

Other important noblemen also joined the plot. In 1088, the rebels started burning and destroying the king's lands. Robert's father, Roger of Montgomery, later stopped supporting Robert Curthose. He made a deal with the king.

Eventually, Robert de Bellême and other rebels found themselves defending Rochester Castle. King William Rufus surrounded the town. He even built two new castles to block them. The rebels tried to surrender under good terms. They wanted to keep their lands and serve the king.

Surrender and Consequences

King Rufus was very angry and refused their terms at first. He wanted to punish the rebels severely. But Robert's father and other powerful nobles spoke to the king. They asked him to be less harsh. Finally, in July, a surrender was agreed upon. King Rufus promised the rebels their lives and safety.

Robert's Return to Normandy

After the rebellion, Robert sailed back to Normandy. He traveled with Count Henry, who later became King Henry I. Henry had not been part of the plot against his brother William Rufus. Even though they traveled together, Robert and Henry would become great enemies.

Imprisonment and Release

Bishop Odo of Bayeux strongly disliked both Henry and Robert. Odo convinced Duke Robert that Henry and Robert were plotting against him. So, when they arrived in Normandy, both Henry and Robert were captured and imprisoned. Henry was held at Bayeux, and Robert at Neuilly-l'Évêque.

When Robert's father, Earl Roger, heard his son was jailed, he prepared all his castles for a fight. The Montgomery family was now openly rebelling against Robert Curthose. Bishop Odo then pushed Duke Robert to take Robert de Bellême's castles by force. Duke Robert gathered an army and attacked.

After some fighting, Duke Robert's army captured Ballon castle. Then they moved to Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei, where Robert de Bellême's family lived. The castle resisted for a while but eventually ran out of supplies. Duke Robert then lost interest in capturing more castles. He sent his army home and returned to Rouen.

Earl Roger sent people to make peace with the duke. He convinced the duke to release his son Robert. The duke finally agreed. But the price for Robert's freedom was Saint-Céneri castle. Duke Robert gave this castle to Robert Giroie. The Giroie family had owned the castle before William the Conqueror gave it to Roger de Montgomery.

Robert's Influence in Normandy

By 1090, Robert was back in Duke Robert Curthose's good favor. He was called a "principal councilor" to the duke. He helped Curthose stop a revolt by the people of Rouen in 1090. Many citizens were captured and thrown into dungeons.

In 1092, the people of Domfront, a place long held by Robert's family, invited Henry, the duke's younger brother, to take over. They were tired of Robert's harsh rule. Also in 1092, Robert de Bellême asked to hold Bellême directly from the French king, not from the Duke of Normandy.

In 1094, Robert's father, Earl Roger, died. Robert's younger brother, Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury, inherited the English lands and titles. Robert received his father's lands in Normandy. These lands were next to the Bellême territories he already had from his mother. This made him very powerful in Normandy.

Robert and William Rufus (1096–1100)

In 1096, Duke Robert went on the First Crusade. He left his brother, William Rufus (the King of England), in charge of Normandy. Robert de Bellême regained the king's favor. He and his brothers served King Rufus many times. In 1098, Robert captured Elias I, Count of Maine for Rufus, which was a big achievement.

Robert also gained the title of Count of Ponthieu through his wife. He also acquired the honor of Tickhill. All these lands made him one of the richest noblemen in both England and Normandy.

In August 1100, King Rufus died. Henry I quickly took the English throne before his brother Robert Curthose could claim it. Robert de Bellême rushed to England to show his loyalty to Henry. However, he and his brothers likely knew that their time of royal favor was ending.

The Anglo-Norman Civil War of 1101

Duke Robert returned from the First Crusade as a hero. Some of his nobles encouraged him to attack Henry. But he was unsure. Then, Ranulf Flambard, who had escaped from the Tower of London, fled to Normandy. He seems to have convinced Duke Robert to invade England and remove his brother Henry from the throne.

The Invasion and Its Aftermath

Robert de Bellême was one of the powerful nobles who joined Robert Curthose's invasion of England in 1101. His brothers Roger the Poitevin and Arnulf of Montgomery, and his nephew William, Count of Mortain, also joined. This invasion aimed to remove Henry I from power. However, it ended peacefully with the Treaty of Alton. This treaty offered forgiveness to those who took part, but it also said that traitors could be punished.

It soon became clear that Henry I did not plan to follow the treaty. A nobleman advised Henry to "Soothe them with promises," and then they could be "driven into exile."

Henry I spent a year gathering accusations against Robert and his brothers. Robert had built castles without permission, especially Bridgnorth Castle. This might have been the final reason for Henry to act. In 1102, Henry made a list of charges against Robert. When Robert refused to answer them, Henry gathered his army. He besieged and captured Robert's English castles. Robert lost his English lands and titles, as did his brothers. He was banished from England and returned to Normandy.

In 1105, Robert was fighting Rotrou III, Count of Perche over some of his Bellême lands and lost. That same year, he attacked some of Henry's supporters. He then went to England to try and make peace with King Henry, but he returned to Normandy without success.

Battle of Tinchebrai and Imprisonment

In 1106, Robert was one of Duke Curthose's leaders at the Battle of Tinchebrai. He commanded the rear part of the army. When the battle started to go Henry's way, Robert and most of his men escaped capture by fleeing the battlefield. With Normandy now under Henry's control, Robert de Bellême surrendered. He was allowed to keep his Norman lands and his position as viscount of the Hiémois.

Robert's Capture and Final Years

However, Henry was still cautious of Robert. He placed his own supporters in important positions in Normandy. In a rebellion from 1110 to 1112, nobles on the border of Normandy were unhappy with Henry's rules. They were especially upset about his attempt to take custody of William Clito, who was Robert Curthose's son. Robert played a main role in this rebellion after the death of Elias I, Count of Maine in July 1110.

In 1112, Robert was sent as a messenger from the French king to Henry I. He went to Henry's court at Bonneville to discuss releasing Robert Curthose. But Henry seized Robert and put him in prison. Henry seemed to have charges ready. These included not coming to Henry's court after being called three times, not giving proper accounts, and acting against his lord's interests.

Robert might have been technically guilty, but it was not safe for him to attend Henry. He might have seen the money as gifts. Also, whether acting against Henry's interests truly deserved such a harsh punishment is debatable. Robert was also under the king's protection as a messenger. This act had international consequences, but at the time, the French king and Henry I were plotting against each other, so the breach of rules went unpunished. With Robert's imprisonment, the rebellion against Henry collapsed. Robert spent the rest of his life as a prisoner. The exact date of his death is not known.

How History Describes Robert

The writer Orderic Vitalis describes Robert de Bellême as a bad person. He often compared him to Henry I, whose mistakes Orderic felt were understandable. Orderic called Robert "Grasping and cruel, an implacable persecutor of the Church of God and the poor... unequalled for his iniquity in the whole Christian era."

Historian David C. Douglas said that Orderic was honest, even if he believed some stories easily. He had special knowledge of the Bellême-Montgomery family. However, Orderic might have been very biased against Robert de Bellême. His strong dislike might have affected how he wrote about Robert's actions. This dislike came from a long and bitter feud between the Giroie family, who supported Orderic's Abbey of Saint-Evroul, and the de Bellême family.

Robert did sometimes take church properties. He was not a big giver to churches. But Robert's actions towards the church were typical for many nobles of his time. They were no worse than other rulers and powerful lords.

In Maine, people pointed to Robert's lasting works. They called them the works of Robert the Devil. This nickname was also given to William the Conqueror's father.

Robert's Family

Robert married Agnes of Ponthieu before September 9, 1087. They had one child:

• William III of Ponthieu, who inherited the county of Ponthieu from his mother.