Editing Robert II of France (section)

====Robert II directs the religious affairs====
Crowned as Junior King, Robert II had begun to take on active royal duties with his father, as evidenced by his ''signum'' at the bottom of certain acts of Hugh Capet. From 990, all the acts have its inscription. In the written acts: "Robert, very glorious king" as underlined by a charter for [[Corbie]] (April 988) or even "''filii nostri Rotberti regis ac consortis regni nostri''" in a charter for Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (June 989).{{sfn|Bautier|1992|pp=31, 35}} On the strength of his instruction received from Gerbert of Aurillac, his task, initially, was to preside over episcopal synods:

{{blockquote|author=Richer of Reims, ca. 990.{{sfn|Theis|1999|p=57}}|"He [Robert II] attended synods of bishops to discuss ecclesiastical affairs with them."}}

Unlike the last Carolingians, the first Capetians attached a clan of bishops to the north-east of Paris ([[Amiens]], [[Laon]], [[Soissons]], [[Châlons-en-Champagne|Châlons]], etc.) whose support was decisive in the course of events. In one of their diplomas, the two kings appear as intermediaries between the clerics and the people (''mediatores et plebis'') and, under the pen of Gerbert of Aurillac, the bishops insisted on this need for ''consilium'': "...not wanting anything abuse the royal power, we decide all the affairs of the ''res publica'' by resorting to the advice and sentences of our faithful".{{sfn|Sassier|2000|pp=200–205}} Hugh Capet and Robert II needed the support of the Church to further consolidate their legitimacy, and also because the contingents of horsemen who made up the royal army came largely from the bishoprics.{{sfn|Menant|1999|p=28}} Robert II already appeared in the eyes of his contemporaries as a pious sovereign (hence his nickname) and close to the Church for several reasons: he devoted himself to the liberal arts; he was present at the synods of bishops; Abbo of Fleury specially dedicated his canonical collection to him; he easily forgave his enemies; and the abbeys received many royal gifts. He sent Ulric, bishop of Orleans, on an embassy to [[Constantine VIII|Emperor Constantine VIII]] and received the gift of a piece of the true cross along with silken hangings.{{sfn|Angold|2002|p=22}}