After the rebellion of one brother, and the death of another, William Rufus succeded his father, William the Conqueror, as King of England.
Birth of William II
William Rufus was born in Normandy in 1056, the third son of William I (the Conqueror) and Queen Matilda. He was given the nickname "Rufus" for his red hair and flushed complexion. William quickly developed a reputation for his horrible temper and brutal nature, flaws that stayed with him throughout his life.
Today, it would seem unlikely that a third son would ever ascend to the throne, but in the harsh days of the middle-ages, it was deemed wise for Kings to have as many sons as possible, and, as it turned out, both William Rufus and his younger brother would eventually claim the throne.
William II's Brothers
In 1077, William the Conqueror's oldest son, Robert Curthose, rebelled against him. Although the rebellion was put down, and William eventually forgave his son, he decided that Robert would never be king. Then, in 1081, William's second son, Richard, was killed by a stag in a hunting accident. Thus, when William I died in 1087, his son William Rufus, was crowned William II, King of England.
William II's reign was a bleak and unhappy time in the history of England, marked by oppressive taxes to pay for William's near constant warfare. Most of his battles were fought on the continent against his older brother Robert in an attempt to make his claim to the Duchy of Normandy, though he also led a major campaign against King Malcolm of Scotland.
William II was also massively unpopular with the church. Unlike his father who was very generous to the church, William II had a habit of stealing from them. He had no compunction about taking their land, and once, when the Barons complained about William's high taxes, he suggested robbing the shrines of saints.
The Death of William II
Despite his unpopularity, his reign was not a short one. In the year 1100, William II was shot in the chest by an arrow during a hunt. Walter Tirel, the man who fired the arrow, fled to France. It is unknown whether the death was an accident or a political assissination. Either way, William II's death proved a perfect opportunity for his younger brother Henry to seize the throne.
William was buried in Winchester Cathedral without ceremony. Seven years later, the cathedral tower collapsed, which many took to be a sign of God's dislike for the King. Today, a small monument known as The Rufus Stone marks the spot in the New Forest where the King was supposedly killed.
Primary information for this article was obtained from Discover Kings and Queens by D.E. Wickham, Shire Publications, 1996.
