alternatehistory.com

In 1091, King William II of England lost the crown of England to his older brother, Robert Curthose, duke of Normandy. Robert sent his remaining brother, Henry, into the clergy (whence the boy rose well and eventually became a cardinal and archbishop of Canterbury. There have been a couple WIs of Henry being elected pope, but that was a long shot, even OTL) to prevent a replay (although it was said this more the advice of Robert's advisor, Edgar Aetheling (member of the former house of Wessex).

Robert was married to fellow Norman-descended Emma of Sicily whilst still duke of Normandy, and managed to sire two sons (Robert II (b.1079), who's daughter caused a scandal in Christendom when she wed the half-Muslim son of King Alfonso VI of Castile; and Henry, earl of Gloucester (b.1080)) as well as a daughter, Matilda (who's also called Emma in some sources because she gets confused with her mother), who married Henri, youngest son of Robert I of Burgundy (who later became duke of Burgundy when his elder brothers died without male children). It was this tie with the Norman house of Hauteville in Sicily that later led to the English inheritance in Italy (where Robert's male line survives, in spite of having lost the English throne through differing succession laws at the end of the 16th century).

But what if Robert had been defeated by William II? It seems almost unthinkable to us now, but, say Edgar (who everyone acknowledged was Robert's left-hand, right-hand and sometimes brain, too - in all except military matters) hadn't been able to garner the support needed for Robert to depose his brother? What would've happened to Robert?
Top