Robert was younger son ofcountRobert the Strong (d. 866), one of the most prominent nobles in theWest Frankish Kingdom during the reign ofCharles the Bald.[1] Regarding the identity of Robert's mother, and numbers of marriages of his father, several solutions have been proposed in scholarly literature.[2][3] ChroniclerRegino of Prüm (d. 915) stated that count Adalhelm was maternal uncle (Latin:avunculus) of Roberts's brother Odo, meaning that Odo's mother (and thus maybe Roberts's too) was sister of Adalhelm,[4] but some alternative genealogical solutions have been also suggested by scholars.[5][6][7]
On the other side, several researchers have proposed that Odo's and Roberts's father was during the last years of his life married toAdelaide of Tours,[8][9] but those suggestions are not universally acknowledged in scholarly literature,[3] since it was shown that they were initially based on some late textual additions and misunderstandings in the Chronicle of St-Bénigne.[2][10][11][12]
In 885 Robert participated in the defence of Paris during theViking siege of Paris.[17] He was appointed by Odo as the ruler of several counties, including thecounty of Paris, andabbotin commendam of many abbeys. Robert also secured the office ofDux Francorum, a military dignity of high importance.
He did not claim the crown of West Francia when his brother died in 898; instead recognizing the supremacy of theCarolingian king,Charles the Simple. Charles then confirmed Robert in his offices and possessions, after which he continued to defend northern Francia from the attacks ofVikings. Robert defeated a large band of Vikings in the Loire Valley in 921, after which the defeated invaders converted to Christianity and settled nearNantes.[18]
The peace between King Charles the Simple and his powerful vassal was not seriously disturbed until about 921 when Charles' favoritism towardsHagano aroused rebellion. Supported by many of the clergy and by some of the most powerful of the Frankish nobles, Robert took up arms, drove Charles intoLotharingia, and was himself crowned king of the Franks (rex Francorum) atRheims on 29 June 922.[19]
Robert's rule was contested by the Viking leaderRollo, who had settled in theDuchy of Normandy in 911 with the permission of Charles the Simple. During Robert's reign, Rollo remained loyal to Charles, who continued to contest his deposition.[20] Gathering an army, Charles marched against Robert, and on 15 June 923 at theBattle of Soissons Robert was killed. However, his army won the battle and Charles was captured.[21] Charles remained a captive until his death in 929. Robert was succeeded as king by his son-in-law,Rudolph.[22]
Bautier, Robert-Henri (1985). "Anne de Kiev, Reine de France, et la Politique Royale au XI e Siecle: Étude critique de la documentation".Revue des études slaves.57 (4). Institut d'études slaves:539–564.doi:10.3406/slave.1985.5520.
Berkhofer, Robert F. (2004).Day of Reckoning: Power and Accountability in Medieval France. University of Pennsylvania Press.
