People of 1066AD - Robert, Count of Eu

⚜️ Robert, Count of Eu — Normandy Holdings (1066)

Robert, Count of Eu (d. 1089–1093), Lord of Hastings, member of the House of Normandy. Son of William I, Count of Eu, and Lesceline. One of the major Norman magnates and a trusted commander of Duke William.¹

️ 1. County of Eu — core honour

Comté d'Eu

Location: Eu, Seine-Maritime, Normandy. Strategic coastal county on the northern Norman frontier, adjacent to the County of Ponthieu.²
Inheritance: Son of William I, Count of Eu, and Lesceline. Succeeded his father as Count of Eu.³
Ship contribution: Commanded 60 ships in the fleet supporting Duke William's invasion of England in 1066 — one of the largest contributions.⁴
Battle of Mortemer (1054): Robert and Walter Giffard defeated the French army of Count Odo and Count Renaud camped at Mortemer, surprising them while they slept drunk. This victory secured Normandy's eastern frontier.⁵

2. Castle of Eu

Eu Castle: Principal comital seat and fortress of the county of Eu. Robert would have held and administered this castle as his Norman stronghold.²

⛪ 3. Religious patronage — Normandy

✝️ Abbey of Saint-Michel du Tréport: Robert founded the Abbey of Saint-Michel du Tréport between 1057 and 1066, near the town of Eu, reportedly in memory of his first wife. He was assisted in this foundation by the counsel of Duke William and Maurilius, Archbishop of Rouen. Robert was buried here.⁶

Fécamp Abbey: Robert donated land to Fécamp Abbey of Rouen in 1051.⁷

4. Succession — Norman estates

William II, Count of Eu: Robert was succeeded as Count of Eu and Lord of Hastings by his son, William II.⁸

REFERENCES
1. Douglas, D.C. 'The Earliest Norman Counts', EHR 61 (1946), pp. 129-156.
2. Power, D. The Norman Frontier (2004), pp. 89-91.
3. Complete Peerage, vol. V, pp. 151-154.
4. Van Houts, E. 'The Ship List of William the Conqueror', ANS X (1988), p. 172.
5. Neveux, F. A Brief History of the Normans (2008), p. 127.
6. Callender, E. The Monastery of Saint-Michel du Tréport (2014), pp. 15-22.
7. Cownie, E. Religious Patronage in Anglo-Norman England (1998), p. 98.
8. Complete Peerage, vol. V, p. 154.

⏺️ FOOTNOTES: English estates (Hastings Castle, lands in Sussex and elsewhere) excluded. Robert's Norman holdings: County of Eu, Eu Castle, foundation of Tréport Abbey, land donation to Fécamp.