Biography of Robert II Count Flanders 1065-1111

Paternal Family Tree: Flanders

Maternal Family Tree: Eilika Schweinfurt Duchess Saxony

Robert II Count Flanders and Clementia Ivrea Countess Louvain and Flanders were married. She the daughter of William Ivrea I Count Burgundy and Ettiennette Countess Burgundy. He the son of Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders and Gertrude Billung Countess Holland. They were fourth cousins.

Around 1050 Floris Gerulfing I Count Holland (age 24) and [his mother] Gertrude Billung Countess Holland (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Holland. She the daughter of Bernard II Duke of Saxony (age 55) and Eilika Schweinfurt Duchess Saxony. He the son of Dirk Gerulfing III Count Holland and Othelindis d Bernard Margrave Nordmark Count Holland.

Before 1065 [his father] Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 32) and [his mother] Gertrude Billung Countess Holland (age 34) were married. She the daughter of Bernard II Duke of Saxony and Eilika Schweinfurt Duchess Saxony. He the son of Baldwin "The Good" V Count Flanders (age 52) and Adela Capet Duchess Normandy (age 55). They were second cousin twice removed.

Around 1065 Robert II Count Flanders was born to Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 32) and Gertrude Billung Countess Holland (age 35).

In 1093 [his son] Baldwin VII Count Flanders was born to Robert II Count Flanders (age 28) and Clementia Ivrea Countess Louvain and Flanders (age 15).

In 1093 Robert II Count Flanders (age 28) succeeded II Count Flanders. Clementia Ivrea Countess Louvain and Flanders (age 15) by marriage Countess Flanders.

In 1093 [his father] Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 60) died.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1096. In this year held the King William (age 40) his court at Christmas in Windsor; and William Bishop of Durham died there on new-year's day; and on the octave of the Epiphany was the king (age 40) and all his councillors at Salisbury. There Geoffry Bainard challenged William of Ou, the king's (age 40) relative, maintaining that he had been in the conspiracy against the king (age 40). And he fought with him, and overcame him in single combat; and after he was overcome, the king (age 40) gave orders to put out his eyes, and afterwards to emasculate him; and his steward, William by name, who was the son of his stepmother, the king (age 40) commanded to be hanged on a gibbet. Then was also Eoda, Earl of Champagne, the king's (age 40) son-in-law, and many others, deprived of their lands; whilst some were led to London, and there killed. This year also, at Easter, there was a very great stir through all this nation and many others, on account of Urban, who was declared Pope, though he had nothing of a see at Rome. And an immense multitude went forth with their wives and children, that they might make war upon the heathens. Through this expedition were the king (age 40) and his brother, Earl Robert, reconciled; so that the king (age 40) went over sea, and purchased all Normandy of him, on condition that they should be united. And the earl afterwards departed; and with him the Earl of Flanders (age 31), and the Earl of Boulogne, and also many other men of rank¹²³. And the Earl Robert, and they that went with him, passed the winter in Apulia; but of the people that went by Hungary many thousands miserably perished there and by the way. And many dragged themselves home rueful and hunger-bitten on the approach of winter. This was a very heavy-timed year through all England, both through the manifold tributes, and also through the very heavy-timed hunger that severely oppressed this earth in the course of the year. In this year also the principal men who held this land, frequently sent forces into Wales, and many men thereby grievously afflicted, producing no results but destruction of men and waste of money.

Note 123. Literally "head-men, or chiefs". The term is still retained with a slight variation in the north of Europe, as the "hetman" Platoff of celebrated memory.

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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1100. During the harvest of this same year also came the Earl Robert (age 49) home into Normandy, and the Earl Robert of Flanders (age 35), Eustace, Earl of Boulogne, from Jerusalem. And as soon as the Earl Robert (age 49) came into Normandy, he was joyfully received by all his people; except those of the castles that were garrisoned with the King Henry's (age 32) men. Against them he had many contests and struggles.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1111. This year the King Henry (age 43) bare not his crown at Christmas, nor at Easter, nor at Pentecost. And in August he went over sea into Normandy, on account of the broils that some had with him by the confines of France, and chiefly on account of the Earl of Anjou (age 22), who held Maine against him. And after he came over thither, many conspiracies, and burnings, and harrowings, did they between them. In this year died the Earl Robert of Flanders (age 46), and his son [his son] Baldwin (age 18) succeeded thereto.¹⁴¹ This year was the winter very long, and the season heavy and severe; and through that were the fruits of the earth sorely marred, and there was the greatest murrain of cattle that any man could remember.