
Richard the Good as part of the "Six Dukes of Normandy" statue in the town square of Falaise.
'Richard II' (born
23 August 963, in
Normandy,
France –
28 August 1027, in
Normandy), called 'the Good', was the son and heir of
Richard I the Fearless and
Gunnora. He succeeded his father as
Duke of Normandy in
996. Richard held his own against a peasant insurrection, and helped
Robert II of France against the
duchy of Burgundy. He also repelled an
English attack on the
Cotentin Peninsula that was led by
Ethelred II of England. He pursued a reform of the Norman monasteries.
Richard attempted to improve relations with England through his sister's marriage to King Ethelred, but she was strongly disliked by the English. However, this connection later gave his grandson,
William the Conqueror, his claim to the throne of England.
He married firstly (996) Judith (982-1017), daughter of
Conan I of Brittany, by whom he had the following issue:
★
Richard (c. 997), duke of Normandy
★
Robert (999), duke of Normandy
★ William, monk at
Fécamp, d.
1025
★ Adélaide, married
Renaud I, Count of Burgundy
★ Eleanor (or perhaps Ainor or Judith), married Count
Baldwin IV of Flanders
★ Matilda, d.
1033
Secondly he married Poppa of Envermeu, by whom he had the following issue:
★
Mauger,
Archbishop of Rouen
★
William , count of
Arques
Traditionally, Richard had a third wife named Astrid (Estritha), daughter of
Sweyn Forkbeard,
King of England,
Denmark, and
Norway, and
Sigrid the Haughty. This is extremely unlikely, however, given the political situation.
See also
★