Robert fitz John
Robert fitz John (? - ?) was a Flemish-born son of an expatriate Norman blacksmith.
He travelled to Normandy to seek his fortune as a mercenary in the invasion army gathered by Duke William.
Monastery
If I recall correctly, there was a Norman monastery in Sussex near where William's troops landed. That may have been a reason for landing there — the monks could have reported on the lie of the land. Those monks would have had a foot in both camps, as it were, since Sussex was part of Harold's personal demesne. I forgot to provide the brief biography of my persona.
In the News
October 13, 1066: King Harold instructs his clerks to "Write a letter to our beloved learned friend with all haste, thanking him for his service, and asking that he pray that God be with us at dawn."
Fiction cross-reference
Nonfiction cross-reference
External links
- Duke William @ Wikipedia
- Harold Godwinson @ Wikipedia