Robert I, Duke of Normandy
When Richard III died shortly after Robert's surrender, there were suspicions that Robert might have caused his brother's death. Robert was accepted, however, as the sixth duke following his brother. But the civil war Robert I had started against his brother Richard III didn't stop when the two made peace. There were still many feuds which had started between neighboring barons. These continued in Normandy during much of Robert’s reign. It was also during this time that many of the lesser nobility left Normandy to seek their fortunes in southern Italy and elsewhere. Soon after he became duke and possibly in revenge for supporting his brother, Robert I gathered an army and began raiding the lands of his uncle, Robert II, Archbishop of Rouen. Only a brief truce allowed his uncle to leave Normandy in exile. The Archbishop then placed an edict of excommunication on Robert and all of Normandy. The edict was only removed when Archbishop Robert was allowed to return and all his lands were restored. Robert also attacked another powerful church leader, his cousin Hugo d'Ivry, Bishop of Bayeux. Robert banished him from Normandy. Robert also seized a number of church properties belonging to the abbey of Fécamp.