Robert III of Artois

2.1. Early Life and Artois Succession Dispute

Robert was born in 1287, the son of Philip of Artois, Lord of Conches-en-Ouche, and Blanche of Brittany, who was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany. Robert was also the great-grandson of Robert I, Count of Artois, son of Louis VIII. Both of his parents were male descendants of the Capetian dynasty. His father, Philip, died on September 11, 1298, from wounds sustained at the Battle of Furnes on August 20, 1297, against the Flemish. This early death of his father inadvertently became a direct cause of the significant dispute over the succession to the County of Artois.

Upon the death of his grandfather, Robert II, Count of Artois, at the Battle of Courtrai in 1302, the County of Artois passed to Robert's aunt, Mahaut (also known as Mathilde), by custom as she was the eldest child. At the time of his grandfather's death, Robert was only fifteen years old and too young to effectively challenge this succession. However, he would vigorously contest this inheritance later in his life, filing lawsuits in 1309 and 1318 to assert his claim based on male-line precedence, but he was unsuccessful in both attempts.

2.2. Relationship with Philip VI and Grant of Beaumont-le-Roger

Robert III played a pivotal role in the succession of his brother-in-law, Philip VI of France, to the French throne. For a period, Robert was a trusted and influential advisor to King Philip VI. It was through this close relationship and influence that Philip VI granted him the County of Beaumont-le-Roger in June 1328. This grant was intended as a form of compensation for Mahaut's inheritance of Artois, acknowledging Robert's grievances over the succession.

However, when Mahaut died in 1329, her title to Artois passed to her daughter, Joan II, Countess of Burgundy. Following the precedent set by the County of Flanders, Robert III once again reopened the contentious question of succession to the County of Artois, initiating new legal challenges.

2.3. The Fraudulent Will Incident and Exile

In 1331, Robert III's relentless pursuit of the Artois inheritance led to a major scandal when he was found guilty of forging the will of his late father. This elaborate deception involved the use of thirty-four perjured depositions and a fabricated document, which was created by a woman named Jeanne de Divion. As a consequence of her involvement in the forgery, Jeanne de Divion was subsequently burned at the stake. Furthermore, following the death of his cousin Joan II, Countess of Burgundy (Mahaut's daughter) in 1330, Robert III was also suspected of her poisoning, which led to a warrant for his arrest as a royal rebel.

The discovery of this extensive fraud effectively ended any hope Robert III had of legally acquiring the County of Artois. He failed to respond to a fourth summons to appear before the king, and as a result, on April 8, 1332, he was sentenced in absentia to exile and the confiscation of all his estates. To avoid immediate arrest and execution, Robert III fled from France. He initially sought refuge with his nephew, John II, Marquis of Namur. However, Philip VI, determined to pursue Robert, compelled the Bishop of Liège to attack Namur, forcing Robert to flee again. He then sought protection from his nephew-in-law, John III, Duke of Brabant, but Philip VI again pressured the duke to abandon Robert. Ultimately, in 1336, Robert III was forced to flee across the English Channel to the court of Edward III of England.

During this period of flight and pursuit, Robert III's wife and sons, John and Charles, were imprisoned at Château Gaillard in Normandy in 1334. Philip VI's declaration of Robert III as a royal rebel in 1336 was accompanied by the confiscation of his remaining territories and the arrest and imprisonment of his family.

2.4. Alliance with Edward III and Role in the Hundred Years' War

Upon his arrival in England in 1336, Robert III was welcomed by Edward III of England, who was already dissatisfied with Philip VI's protection of David II of Scotland. In a move to reciprocate Philip's perceived affront, Edward III granted Robert the Earldom of Richmond in 1341, following the death of John III, Duke of Brittany. Robert quickly became an influential member of Edward's royal council, providing the English king with extensive and detailed information about the inner workings of the French court and nobility.

Consumed by a desire for revenge against Philip VI and aiming to reclaim his lost inheritance, Robert III became a powerful advocate for Edward III to assert his claim to the French throne based on female-line succession. Many contemporary chroniclers attest that Robert's direct influence was a primary catalyst for the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War. This is further supported by the fact that Philip VI explicitly cited Edward's unwillingness to expel Robert as the primary reason for confiscating the Duchy of Guyenne in May 1337, a key trigger for the war.

Robert followed Edward III on his military campaigns during the early phases of the war. In 1340, he commanded the Anglo-Flemish army at the Battle of Saint-Omer, though his attempt to reclaim Artois after the English victory at the Battle of Sluys that year was unsuccessful.

2.5. Death

Robert III's involvement in the Hundred Years' War continued until his death. After the signing of a truce between England and France in September 1340, he participated in the War of the Breton Succession as part of the Anglo-Montfort faction, leveraging his mother's lineage from John II, Duke of Brittany. He was wounded during the retreat from the city of Vannes in November 1342 and subsequently succumbed to dysentery. He died between October 6 and November 20, 1342.

Robert III was initially interred at Blackfriars Church in London. His tomb was later moved, and it is now located in St. Paul's Cathedral.

4.1. Significant Historical Influence

Despite the controversial nature of his actions, Robert III's influence on the course of history, particularly the genesis of the Hundred Years' War, is undeniable. His unique position as a high-ranking French nobleman with intimate knowledge of the French court and his fervent desire for revenge made him an invaluable asset to Edward III. By providing strategic intelligence and vehemently advocating for the English claim to the French throne, he helped crystallize Edward III's determination to initiate a large-scale conflict. The circulation of poetic oaths like the Voeux du héron (Vow of the Heron) in the late 1340s, depicting Edward's invasion as the fulfillment of a chivalric oath made to Robert, further illustrates his perceived central role in igniting the conflict. His persistence in pursuing his claims, even through unconventional and illegal means, forced a direct confrontation between the two major European powers.

4.2. Criticism and Controversy

Robert III's character and actions have been subject to considerable criticism, particularly concerning his willingness to resort to deception and perjury in his pursuit of the Artois succession. The most significant controversy stems from the 1331 discovery of the forged will, an act of fraud that resulted in the execution of Jeanne de Divion. This incident not only stripped him of his legal claims and led to his exile but also irrevocably damaged his reputation and marked him as a "royal rebel" in the eyes of the French crown. His subsequent flight from France, during which his wife and children were imprisoned, underscores the severity of his offenses and the retaliatory nature of Philip VI's response.

Furthermore, his role in urging Edward III to claim the French throne, driven by personal vengeance and dynastic ambition rather than broader political stability, is seen by many historians as a direct cause for the devastating Hundred Years' War. While his intelligence and strategic advice were valuable to Edward III, his motivations were deeply personal and contributed to a prolonged conflict that caused immense suffering and destabilized the region for over a century. His actions, therefore, represent a significant instance of personal ambition leading to widespread historical consequences.