View source for Robert of Namur (1323–1391)

{{Short description|English noble and crusader}}
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{{one source|date=November 2012}}
{{unreliable sources|date=November 2012}}
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{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
[[File:Sir Robert de Namur, KG.png|thumb|200px|Sir Robert de Namur, KG]]
'''Robert of Namur''', [[Order of the Garter|KG]] (1323 &ndash; April 1391) was a noble from the Low Countries close to King [[Edward III of England]]. He was made [[Knight of the Garter]] in 1369.<ref name="Shaw">{{cite book |last1=Shaw |first1=Wm. A. |title=The Knights of England: A Complete Record from the Earliest Time to the Present Day of the Knights of All the Orders of Chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of the Knights Bachelors |date=1971 |publisher=Genealogical Publishing Company |location=Baltimore |volume=1|page=4|oclc=247620448}}</ref>
==Early life ==
His was the son of [[John I, Marquis of Namur|John I]], [[Counts of Namur|Count of Namur]], and Marie, Lady of Merode.
==Career ==
As a young man, he participated in crusades in [[Prussia]] and The Holy Land. His uncle [[Robert III of Artois]], which had English sympathies, made him journey in 1346 to Calais to meet Edward III of England, who was [[Siege of Calais (1346)|besieging the city]]. Robert made a good impression on the King.
On 30 August 1350, Robert and [[Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster|Henry of Grosmont]] commanded the English flagship Salle du Roy, at the [[Battle of Les Espagnols sur Mer]], off [[Winchelsea]]. On 2 February 1354, Robert of Namur married Isabella of Hainault (1323–1361), younger sister of [[Philippa of Hainault]], queen consort of King [[Edward III of England]]. Thus Robert became brother-in-law to Edward III. Robert captured the [[Escanaffles]] Castle in 1363. Robert brought [[Jean Froissart]] to England, and introduced him to Queen Philippa. In 1369, Robert defended the English camp at [[Tournehem]] against French attack. He was made [[Knight of the Garter]] in 1369 after the death of [[Robert d'Ufford, 1st Earl of Suffolk]].
In 1370, Robert requested Jean Froissart to write a recent chronicle of the history of England. On 20 August 1371, Robert fought for [[Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg]] and Brabant, commanding 2,000 men at the [[Battle of Baesweiler]], but was defeated and released after paying a ransom. In 1373, Jean Froissart completed his first book of the Chronicles and dedicated it to Robert of Namur.
== Marriage and Children ==
On 2 February 1354, Robert of Namur firstly married Isabella of Hainaut (1323–1361), sister of [[Philippa of Hainault|Queen Philippa of England]] and daughter of [[William I, Count of Hainaut]] and [[Joan of Valois (1294–1352)|Joan of Valois]].<br>
On 4 February 1380, he secondly married Isabeau de Melun (died 1409). Both marriages remained childless, but Robert is said to have had 9 illegitimate children.
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://www.themcs.org/characters/Robert%20de%20Namur.htm The Medieval Combat Society Robert de Namur Lord of Beaufort, Renaix, Ballâtre and Chièvre 1323–1391]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert of Namur}}
[[Category:1323 births]]
[[Category:1391 deaths]]
[[Category:Garter Knights appointed by Edward III]]