Unknown Father of Robert IV the Strong

Robert IV "the Strong" is commonly called a son of Robert III, count in the Wormsgau, but the relationship is conjectural.

Sources and Resources

• Wikipedia
• The Foundation for Medieval Genealogy's Medieval Lands Database

ROBERT "le Fort" (-killed in battle Brissarthe 2 Jul 866).

Parentage

• The parentage of Robert "le Fort" is unknown. Some general indications of his origins are found in contemporary sources, but these are contradictory.
• An unspecific Franconian origin is favoured by the Annales Xantenses which name him “Ruodbertus…fortus de Francia, dux Karoli” when recording his death[3], and by Widukind who refers to his son King Eudes as “ex orientalibus Francia”[4].
• A Saxon origin is suggested by two sources: firstly, Richer names “ex equestre ordine Rotbertum” as father of King Eudes and his “avum…paternum Witichinum advenam Germanum”[5]; secondly, the Miracula Sancti Benedicti names “Robertus, Andagavensis comes, Saxonici generis vir”[6].
• Three more specific suggestions can be made:

1. Firstly, many modern secondary sources identify him as Robert [Rodbert], son of Rodbert Graf im Wormsgau & his wife Wiltrud --- ([815/20]-), who was first named in Germany in 836 as "son of the late Rodbert Graf von Wormsgau", in a donation to Mettenheim[7]. No primary source has yet been found which points specifically towards this suggested co-identity, although it is consistent with the Franconian origin referred to by the Annales Xantenses and by Widukind, noted above. It is assumed that the suggestion is based primarily on onomastics, although the first secondary source which proposed the connection has not yet been identified and therefore has not been not checked. The author in question may also have assumed that Robert was a unique name among noblemen in France in the first half of the 9th century, although this ignores Robert Seigneur [comte] à Sesseau en Berry, who was the possible brother of the wife of Pepin I King of Aquitaine (see the document CAROLINGIAN NOBILITY). The timing of the supposed arrival of Robert from Franconia, assuming that the co-identity is correct, is not ideal either. Robert would presumably have fled Germany after opting to support Charles II “le Chauve” King of the West Franks in the latter´s fight against his brother Ludwig II "der Deutsche” King of the East Franks. This dispute is dated to 858/59: King Ludwig invaded in Aug 858, when King Charles was faced with widespread rebellion, and was defeated in Jan 859. However, Robert "le Fort" is already named as missus in Maine, Anjou and Touraine in Nov 853, in a document issued by King Charles II[8] (unless of course this document refers to Robert Seigneur [comte] à Sesseau, which is not impossible).
2. Secondly, there is a possible connection between Robert "le Fort" and the family of Aledramn [I] Comte de Troyes, who died in [852] (see CAROLINGIAN NOBILITY). Such indications are provided by Regino who names "Waltgerius comes, nepos Odonis regis, filius scilicet avunculi eius Adalhelmi in Aquitanien" when recording his battle against "Ramnulfum et fratrem eius Gozbertum et Ebulonem abbatum de sancto Dionysio " in Jul 892, and names "Megingaudus comes, nepos supradicti Odonis regis [son of Robert "le Fort"]" when recording his death, also in 892[9]. A further indication is found in the charter dated 14 Sep 937, under which Robert "le Fort"´s grandson "Hugues abbé de Saint-Martin" donated "son alleu de Lachy…dans le comté de Meaux" to Tours Saint-Martin, specifying that he had inherited the property from "comte Aledramnus" who had been granted it by Charlemagne[10]. It should be noted, however, that all these sources would be consistent with the family connection between Robert "le Fort" and Adalhelm being through the female line, even through Robert´s wife.
3. Thirdly, an interesting possibility is indicated by Europäische Stammtafeln[11], which names the first wife of Comte Robert as "[Agane]". It cites no corresponding primary source, but presumably the suggestion is based on the Miraculis Sancti Genulfi which names "Agana filia…Byturicensium comes…Wifredus [et]…Oda coniux" as wife of "Roberto viro primoque palatii Pipini regis"[12]. This "Roberto" can probably be identified as Robert Seigneur [comte] à Sesseau en Berry, the supposed brother of the wife of Pepin I King of Aquitaine (this relationship is referred to by Settipani, but he neither quotes nor cites the corresponding source[13]). Could it be possible therefore that he was the same person as Robert "le Fort"? If this was correct, it would be consistent with the Saxon origin which is suggested by Richer and by the Miracula Sancti Benedicti (see above). The supposed father of Robert de Sesseau was Theodebert Comte de Madrie who, it is suspected, was related to the family of Nibelung and Childebrand (see CAROLINGIAN NOBILITY). The Saxon connection of the latter family is suggested by the name Theoderic (nine different individuals named Theoderic have been identified in the family), which was first recorded in Saxony in the family of Widukind by Einhard in 782 (see the document SAXONY).