Born an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England about 1090 in
          Caen, he was consequently known as Robert de Caen. He witnessed
          charters of the King from about April 1113 onwards and fought at the
          battle of Bremule, on 20 August 1119, where King Henry I defeated
          Louis VI, King of France.
              Between June and September 1122 he was created Earl of Gloucester.
          In 1123 he brought a force to assist in the capture of the castle of
          Brionne held by the rebellious Norman barons. In 1126 he had custody
          of his uncle, Duke Robert of Normandy, as a prisoner at Bristol and
          later at Cardiff. In 1127 he did homage to the Empress Matilda,
          recognising her as his father's successor in the kingdom. On this
          occasion he had a dispute with his cousin, Stephen de Blois, as to
          precedence which was decided against him.
              In 1130 he sanctioned the foundation of the Abbey of Neath. In
          1131, at the Council of Northampton, he took precedence among the five
          Earls who attended. In 1133 he was sent by the King to Bayeux, after
          the death of Bishop Richard, to enquire as to the fees and services
          due to the see by its barons, knights and vavasours. He was present at
          the King's death in December 1135 and received 60,000 livres from him,
          apparently as executor.
              On Stephen's accession to the English Crown and his recognition as
          Duke by the Normans, Robert gave up Falaise to his agents but removed
          his father's treasure. In March 1136 he returned to England and, after
          Easter, did homage for his English lands and, when Stephen granted his
          Charter of Liberties, he was a witness. At about this time or in the
          following year he founded St.James's Priory at Bristol as a cell to
          Tewkesbury, giving to the Lady Chapel of the Priory every tenth stone
          while building the keep of Bristol Castle at the same time.
              In 1137 he accompanied Stephen to Normandy. However, they
          quarrelled and next year his English and Welsh estates were forfeited.
          Thereupon he prepared for war with Stephen and took up the cause of
          his half-sister Matilda in Normandy, obtaining the surrender of Caen
          and Bayeux to her husband. In September 1139 he landed in England with
          Matilda and, taking her to Arundel Castle, became her commander in the
          civil war that ensued.
              In 1140 he burnt Nottingham and, in February 1141, he and his
          son-in-law, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, relieved Lincoln and took
          Stephen prisoner, sending him to Bristol. He accompanied Matilda in
          her progress to Winchester and London and, when the citizens drove
          her out, fled with her to Oxford.
              Taking part in the fighting at Winchester, he helped Matilda to
          escape from the city but, on 14 September 1141, was captured at
          Stockbridge and taken prisoner to Rochester. Shortly afterwards he was
          exchanged, without concessions on either side, for King Stephen.
          Robert then joined Matilda at Bristol and with her proceeded to
          Oxford.
              In June 1142 Matilda sent him over to her husband, Geoffrey of
          Anjou, to urge him to invade England. Geoffrey declined to help until
          he had conquered Normandy, whereupon Robert joined him in his
          campaign. When they received the news that Matilda was besieged in
          Oxford, Robert hurried back to help her, taking with him her son, the
          future King Henry II. He captured Wareham and other places and, on
          Matilda's escape from Oxford, he and Henry met her at Wallingford. In
          1143 Robert defeated Stephen at Wilton and in 1144, blockaded
          Malmesbury, Stephen refusing battle.
              Matilda's party was now so much reduced that Stephen was able to
          take Faringdon, which had been fortified by Robert. In the spring of
          1147 Robert took Henry (II) back to Wareham and sent him over to
          Anjou; in the same year he founded Margam Abbey. However, on 31
          October 1147 he died of a fever at Bristol and was buried there in the
          Priory of St.James.
 

Source: Leo van de Pas