Who was Robert de Clermont in the early history of the House of Bourbon?

Robert, comte de Clermont, was a pivotal figure in the early history of the House of Bourbon as the ancestor of all Bourbon monarchs. He was the sixth son of King Louis IX, a member of the Capetian dynasty.1

Robert’s significance to the dynasty stems from his marriage to the heiress of the lordship of Bourbon (Bourbon-l’Archambault). This union established the foundation for the family's future prominence. His son, Louis I, was later granted the title of Duke of Bourbon in 1327, which formally gave the dynasty its name. Through this lineage, the Bourbons eventually ascended to the French throne in 1589 with the accession of Henry IV.12