Research Notes:
Complete Peerage states, [1]
Robert, Earl of Leicester, and Steward of England and of Normandy, styled ès Blanchemains, only s. and h. He first appears in 1153, when he received a charter from Henry, son of the Empress, restoring "to him the lands then held by Robert's father, with all the lands which William de Paci held in England and in Normandy, and granting him the Dapifership of England and of Normandy. The charter is similar to one given at the same time to his father the Earl. About five years after his succession he appears to have refused to accept the old composition for the third penny of the pleas of the county, claiming that he ought to have the increased sum now paid for it. Unlike his predecessors, who had augmented their fortunes by adherence to the Crown, Robert took a rebellious course soon after he succeeded his father, by espousing the cause of the "young King" Henry, son of Henry II, when he revolted in 1173. The King at once confiscated Robert's English estates and attacked the town of Leicester, which was taken and burnt (28 July), while the castle held out. At that time Robert was in Normandy, having crossed in the spring and shut himself in his fortress of Breteuil. On 8 Aug. the King appeared before Breteuil and captured and burnt it on 25 and 26 Sep., Robert having fled before the siege began. Robert landed at Walton in Suffolk on 29 Sep. 1173 with a force of Flemish mercenaries, and was at once joined by Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, and their combined forces plundered Norwich, and took the castle of Hagenet on 13 Oct. Thence he started for Leicester, where his castle still held out, but on 17 Oct. he encountered the King's forces under Richard de Luci ("the loyal ") at Fornham, near Bury (Suffolk), and in the fight that ensued was completely defeated, and captured with his Countess. They were sent to the King in Normandy, who imprisoned them at Falaise, and on his return to England, 8 July 1174, took them with him. The seneschal of Leicester Castle having begun to ravage the neighbouring country, Henry extorted from Robert the surrender, 31 July, of his strongholds of Leicester, Mount Sorrel and Groby. The Earl and Countess were taken back to Normandy on 8 Aug., but the treaty of peace between the King and his sons, 30 Sep. 1174, stipulated for their release. Henry, however, demolished Leicester Castle. The rebellion having been crushed, Robert was no longer a menace, and in Jan. 1176/7, at the Council of Northampton, had restored to him all his castles except Mount Sorrel. He crossed to Normandy that summer, and is said to have gone on pilgrimage in 1179, but no more is heard of him until the spring of 1183, when he was once more under suspicion, for he was arrested and imprisoned, together with his brother-in-law, the Earl of Gloucester. He was, however, in favour again and with the Court at Christmas 1186 at Guildford. At the Coronation of Richard I, 3 Sep.1189, he carried one of the Swords of State. On 1 Dec. following he witnessed a charter to the monks at Canterbury, and then set out on Crusade to Jerusalem, and d. on the way back. He m., before 1155-1159 Pernel (Petronilla), heiress of the Norman honour of Grandmesnil, great-granddaughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil, the Domesday tenant, but her parentage has not been discovered. Robert d. as afsd., on his return journey from Jerusalem, in 1190, at Durazzo. His widow had a grant of the market and bridge at Ware for life, 10 Mar. 1207/8. She d. 1 Apr. 1212.
[1] George E. Cokayne and Vicary Gibbs, ed., The Complete Peerage, rev., Vol. 7, Husee to Lincolnshire (London: St. Catherine Press, 1929), 530-533.