23639786.
Count Robert of Artois & 23639787. Countess Matilda of Brabant
9/25/1216,
Robert born in France, s/o 47277624. King Louis VIII & 47277625. Blanche
of Castile.
6/14/1224,
Matilda born in Brabant, France, d/o 47279574. Duke Henri II of Brabant
& 47279575. Marie de Hohenstaufen.
7/14/1223,
Robert’s father, Louis VIII, succeeded as king of France on the death of his
father.
11/8/1226,
Louis VIII died of dysentery at Chateau Montpensier; Robert’s brother Louis IX,
age 12, succeeding. Robert’s mother Blanche became regent during Louis’
minority.
7/1234, When
Thibaud, King of Navarre, attended court, Robert, who hated Thibaud, had a soft
cheese thrown into Thibaud’s face.
[––Robert
& Matilda––]
6/14/1237, Robert,
attaining majority, married Matilda and was given rule of Artois.
1238, King
Louis received envoys from Saracens telling of a “monstrous and inhuman race of
men”, with a leader called Kan [not Genghis – died 1227], overunning far
eastern Europe.
8/1239,
Brothers Robert and Louis walked barefoot in a procession carrying the newly
arrived “Crown of Thorns” on their shoulders to Sens.
1240, Pope
Gregory offered the crown Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to Robert, but the
family refused the offer. [This would have put them in conflict with Emperor
Frederick II.]
6/24/1241,
The entire French court was at Saumur in Anjou for the knighting of Robert’s
brother Alphonse, and his investiture as Count of Poitou.
5/20/1242, King Henry III arrived at Royen, France
with a small contingent; but with 30 tons of gold. They were soon joined by
French nobles against the forces of the Count of Poitou and King Louis IX.
7/1242,
Robert, count of Artois, a commander of the French army against the English.
(S) A History of England, V3, 1826, P83.
7/21/1242,
They met the Count of Poitou and King Louis IX at Taillebourg, but King Henry
retreated.
7/22/1242
at Saintes, the 2 armies met with the superior sized French
force winning.
12/1244,
Robert attended his brother King Louis, who was severly ill [and predicted to
die]. Believing Louis dead, Robert said “Fair, sweet brother, speak to me if
Jesus will allow you.” Louis sighed and asked for the bishop of Paris, to be
given the Cross of a crusader.
10/1245,
Robert, count of Artois, took up the cross at a parliament of the lords of the
kingdom. (S) A Short Course of History, Chepmell, 1857, P268.
7/9/1247,
Pope Innocent IV ordered the bishop of Tusculum, a papal legate, to assign to
Robert, count of Artois, … proceeds of vow redemptions and offerings for the
Holy land, …
8/25/1248,
Robert set sail from Aigures-Mortes near Marsailles with his brother King Louis
IX on the 7th crusade.
9/1248, The
fleet of Louis, carrying 2500 knights, 10,000 men at arms, and 5000 cross-bow
men, arrived at Cyprus. [Supplies had been sent ahead and were waiting when
they arrived.] Robert remained behind to follow with another 50 ships when they
were ready.
3/1249,
Robert sailed his forces to Cyprus.
5/13/1249,
An estimated 1800 ships carrying the forces left Cyprus for Damietta in Egypt.
A storm caused half the ships off course. These landed in Acre.
6/23/1249,
Robert, in a force of 15,000, captured Damietta, Egypt.
1249, A
letter to Blanche from her son Robert of Artois on crusade in Damietta: “To his
most excellent and dearest mother, Blanche, by the grace of God illustrious
queen of France, count Robert of Artois her devoted son, greetings and the
desire ready with filial love to do her will.” [Robert gives news of his
brother, Charles of Anjou who has malaria, and whose wife Beatrice of Provence
has just given birth to a son, but his main news is about the arrival of
Louis’s forces and the city of Damietta falling to them.]
1249 at
Damietta, Robert, count of Artois, came into conflict with William Longespee of
England over a captured caravan bound for Alexandria.
11/20/1249,
Louis and his forces departed Damietta. They traveled along the right bank of
the Nile towards Mansourah.
2/1250, At
Mansourah, Robert of Artois had initial success against a small Egyptian force,
even managing to kill their General Fakhr ad-Din.
2/8/1250,
Robert, who was supposed to wait for Louis’ forces, but did not; killed in
Egypt while attacking Al Mansurah, on the Nile. [Sir William de Longespee also
killed in this battle. About 300 knights and 280 Templars died in the battle.]
[––Matilda––]
1/16/1255,
Matilda married 2nd Guy II of Chatillon, count of Sainte Pol.
1265,
Mathilde, daughter of Henri, Duke of Brabant, wife of Robert of France, Count
of Artois, used her personal seal on a document. (S) Seals, Birch, 1907,
P-XXIV.
9/29/1288,
Matilda died in France.
(S) Saint
Louis, Perry, 1901. (S) The 7th Cursade, Jackson, 2009.
Child
of Robert and Matilda:
i. Blanche of Artois (11819893), born 1248 in
France.
