General Notes

Alias:<ALIA> The /Pious/
ROBERT THE PIOUS, French ROBERT LE PIEUX, King of France who took
Burgundy into the French realm.
The son of Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian dynasty, and Adelaide of
Aquitaine, Robert was educated at the episcopal school of Reims under
Gerbert of Aurillac, later Pope Sylvester II.  Soon after his own
coronation (July 987), Hugh prudently arranged the election and
coronation (December 987) of Robert, thus facilitating his son's eventu
succession (October 996) as sole ruler.  His excommunication as a result
of his marriage within the prohibited degrees of relationship was
eventually lifted after the repudiation of the childless Bertha in 1001.
Constance of Arles, whom the King married two years later, was the moth
of his successor, Henry I.
Robert's domain was not extensive; and, to increase his power, he
vigorously and tenaciously pressed his claim to fiefs as they became
vacant. Thus, when the duke of Burgundy died without an heir (1002),
Robert went to war against a rival claimant. Only in 1015, however, did
he finally succeed in subduing the rich duchy. (The gain was transitory,
for in 1032 Henry I granted Burgundy to his brother, Robert, and it
thereafter remained for centuries outside royal control.)
Robert was called "The Pious" because of his humility and charity.  His
biographer, Helgaud, wrote "that he was tall, slightly stooped, fat and
had deformed toes.  He was gentle, well read and a friend tothe poor. 
Constance was an unbearable wife and King Robert looked forward to a
world where Constance would not bother him."  He died a year before she
did.
A patron of the Cluniac monastic movement, Robert apparently ruled firm
and judiciously in his own lands.
[91502.ftw]
ROBERT THE PIOUS, French ROBERT LE PIEUX, King of France who took
Burgundy into the French realm.
The son of Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian dynasty, and Adelaide of
Aquitaine,Robert was educated at the episcopal school of Reims under
Gerbert of Aurillac, later Pope Sylvester II.  Soon after his own
coronation (July 987), Hugh prudently arranged the election and
coronation (December 987) of Robert, thusfacilitating his son's eventual
succession (October 996) as sole ruler.  Hisexcommunication as a result
of his marriage within the prohibited degrees ofrelationship was
eventually lifted after the repudiation of the childless Bertha in 1001.
Constance of Arles, whom the King married two years later, was the moth
of his successor, Henry I.
Robert's domain was not extensive; and, to increase his power, he
vigorously and tenaciously pressed his claim to fiefs as they became
vacant. Thus, when the duke of Burgundy died without an heir (1002),
Robert went to war against a rival claimant. Only in 1015, however, did
he finally succeed in subduing the rich duchy. (The gain was transitory,
for in 1032 Henry I granted Burgundy to his brother, Robert, and it
thereafter remained for centuries outside royal control.)
Robert was called "The Pious" because of his humility and charity.  His
biographer, Helgaud, wrote "that he was tall, slightly stooped, fat and
had deformed toes.  He was gentle,well read and a friend to the poor. 
Constance was an unbearable wife and King Robert looked forward to a
world where Constance would not bother him."  He died a year before she
did.
A patron of the Cluniac monastic movement, Robert apparently ruled firm
and judiciously in his own lands.