Siege of Gerberoy (1078-1079)
The siege of Gerberoy occurred in France in 1078/79 and marked the climax of the war between the English King William I ("the Conqueror") and his rebellious son Robert Kurzhose .
prehistory
In the 1070s a conflict developed between King William the Conqueror of England and his eldest son Robert . One of the main reasons for this family dispute was that Robert, who administered Normandy as regent for his father , wanted to be officially recognized as the duke of that region. This was refused by Wilhelm. Robert then fled into exile . He received support from the French king Philip , who sent him to the castle in Gerberoy . There Robert developed into a nuisance for his father in the following time, whose territory he threatened. Wilhelm finally decided to campaign against his son.
course
Wilhelm's troops reached Gerberoy at the end of 1078 and began to besiege the castle. Three weeks after the siege began, the defenders, led by Robert, who rode personally at the head of his army, dared a sortie. The besiegers were surprised and defeated by it. King Wilhelm himself was wounded and many of his followers died or were taken prisoner. The siege had thus failed.
consequences
The defeat at Gerberoy damaged the public image of the British king, who had been militarily undefeated for years. In 1080, however, father and son agreed on a peace, which ended the conflict.