Robert was a son of Richard I, Duke of Normandy and his second wife, Gunnora. He was a younger brother of duke Richard II and uncle of duke Robert I. He had been appointed Archbishop of Rouen by his father c. 989–990 and had been given the countship of Évreux at the same time. Robert had proved himself a powerful ecclesiastical ally of his father, Richard I, as well as his brother, Richard II, and at the latter"s death effectively became the senior male adviser to the ducal clan.
Robert was well aware he was destined for the church and seemingly accepted his role as both archbishop and count willingly. But he had always been involved in Norman politics and was a powerful adherent of the Norman dukes. Duke Robert I then besieged Hugh d"Ivry, Bishop of Bayeux who, along with Archbishop Robert had apparently questioned his authority as duke.
The Archbishop and Duke finally came to terms and to facilitate the lifting of the interdict and excommunication, Duke Robert restored the Archbishop to his see, to his countship of Evereux, and returned all his properties.
To further illustrate his change of heart towards the church, Duke Robert restored property that he or his vassals had confiscated, and by 1034 had returned all church properties including those taken from Fécamp Abbey. In his last years Robert, realizing his past mistakes, began giving freely to the poor and undertook to rebuild the cathedral church at Rouen. in 1035 Duke Robert had decided on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Archbishop Robert fulfilled his promise and effectively ruled Normandy as regent for William until Robert"s death in 1037, which almost immediately caused an increase in lawlessness in Normandy. In a catalog of books in the Cathedral of Rouen created during the twelfth century, a reference was found to a particular book, the Benedictionarius Roberti archiepiscopi, which was given to the church of Rouen by Archbishop Robert of Normandy.
Since that time it became the property of the city of Rouen, where it is preserved (Number 27) as the Benedictional of Æthelgar, possibly for the prayers it contained at the end for the coronation of the Anglo-Saxon kings and queens.
Robert married Herlevea and they had the following children:
Richard, Count of Évreux (d 1067). Ralph de Gacé, Sire de Gace. They had one son, Robert, who died without heirs.
Basilla married secondly Hugh de Gournay.
William d"Évreux, married Hawise de Echauffour, daughter of Giroie, Lord of Échauffour, and had a daughter, Judith, who married Roger I of Sicily.
