Richard de Normandie (933-)
933-- (man)
byname RICHARD THE FEARLESS, French RICHARD SANS PEUR, duke ofNormandy (942-996), son of William I Longsword. "Louis IV of France took the boy-duke into his protective custody,apparently intent upon reuniting Normandy to the crown's domains; butin 945 Louis was captured by the Normans, and Richard was returned tohis people. Richard withstood further Carolingian attempts to subduehis duchy and, in 987, was instrumental in securing the French crownfor his brother-in-law, the Robertian Hugh Capet." Although Richard I's son Richard II was born out of wedlock, afterRichard's wife Emma died, he then married Gunnor, the mother ofRichard II. He was the 3rd Duke Of Normandy.
Birth: 933
_SDATE: 1 JUL 933 in Normandy, France
Birth: 28 AUG 933 in Fecamp, Normandy, France
Birth: 2 SEP 933 in Fecamp, Normandy, France
Death: 20 NOV 996 in Fecamp, Seine-inferieure, France
Death: 25 NOV 996 in Fecamp, Normandy, France
Burial: Fecamp, Normandy, France
Event: Poisoned by the Count of Flanders CAU
Burial: Departement de la Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France
Note:
Birth: unknown
Death: unknown
Richard I "the Fearless" Duke of Normandy, Leader of the Normans of Rouen, was born in 933 in Fecamp, Normandy, France.
He was the son of William I "Longsword" Duke of Normandy. A minor at the assassination of his father William in 942, it was largely during Richard's long period of rule that what eventually became the duchy of Normandy evolved from what was essentially a pirate principality into a feudal state.
In 960 Richard married Emma of Paris, daughter of Hugh Magnus Count of Paris, Orleans and Vexin, Duke of France for political reasons. He did not love her, and chose not to reside with her. Emma lived a solitary life at Rouen, and died very young in 962.
About 978 Richard married his lifelong love, Gunnor of Crêpon, daughter of Herbastus de Crêpon. It is quite probable that Richard and Gunnor had some of their children prior to Richard's marriage to Emma of Paris. Richard and Gunnor married after Emma's death, thereby legitimizing all the children.
Richard the Fearless rebuilt an ancient ruined abbey at Fécamp, where he had a palace. The church, one of the first of which we have any details, was costly and magnificent for the time. It was adorned by lofty towers, beautifully finished outside and richly ornamented within.
There was one object which excited much speculation. It was a large block of stone placed right across the path which led to the doorway, close enough to be beneath the eaves. Fashioned and located by the order of Richard I, the stone was hollowed out so as to form a huge strong chest, which might be used as a coffin or a sarcophagus. Its initial use, however, was for the living. On each Saturday the chest was filled to the brim with the finest wheat-corn, then a luxury. The poor came to this chest and each filled his measure of grain and also received a dole of money. When Richard died, the purpose of the chest was made clear. 'His last instructions were that the chest should contain his corpse, lying where the foot should tread and the dew descend, and the waters of heaven should fall.' He-
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