William the Conqueror's eldest son, Robert 'Curthose', duke of Normandy from 1087 to 1106, was in his youth a rebel against his father, and one of very few men to defeat the Conqueror in battle. Succeeding to the duchy of Normandy in 1087, Robert was twice outmanoeuvred by his younger brothers in competition for the English crown. This failure to secure the kingdom of England has overshadowed the duke's role in the success of the First Crusade in capturing Jerusalem.

This new biography locates Robert's career firmly in the social, cultural and political context of the Anglo-Norman period, and explores in detail his often volatile relationships with the other members of his family. It seeks in particular to offer a more positive evaluation of his achievements than has hitherto been the case [Robert was ill-served by the majority of medieval sources and this negative image has adversely influenced modern interpretations of his career].

Dr WILLIAM M. AIRD lectures in Medieval History at Cardiff University.