Editing Robert Curthose (section)

== Exile ==
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Robert fled to Flanders to the court of his uncle [[Robert I, Count of Flanders]] before plundering the county of the [[Vexin]] and causing such mayhem that his father, King William, allied himself with King [[Philip I of France]] to stop his rebellious son. Relations were not helped when King William discovered that his wife, Robert's mother Queen [[Matilda of Flanders|Matilda]], was secretly sending him money. At a battle in January 1079, Robert is said to have unhorsed King William in combat and succeeded in wounding him, only stopping his attack when he recognised his father's voice. Humiliated, King William cursed his son. King William then raised the siege and returned to Rouen.{{Sfn|David|1920|pp=17-41}}

At Easter 1080, father and son were reunited by the efforts of Queen Matilda, and a truce between the two lasted until she died in 1083. Robert seems to have left court soon after the death of his mother and spent several years travelling throughout France, Germany, and Flanders. He visited Italy seeking the hand of the great heiress [[Matilda of Tuscany]] (b. 1046) but was unsuccessful. During this period as a wandering knight Robert sired several illegitimate children. His son Richard seems to have spent much of his life at the royal court of his uncle [[William Rufus]]. This Richard was killed in a hunting accident in the [[New Forest]] in 1100, as was his uncle, King William Rufus, the same year. An illegitimate daughter was later married to [[Helias of Saint-Saens]].