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Great BritainBiography of William II Rufus
William II Rufus was the King of England from the Norman dynasty from 1087 to 1100. He was known for his intelligence, strength, and bravery in battle, as well as his sharp and cynical speeches. However, as he grew older, he indulged in his vices of greed, debauchery, and cruelty. It seemed that he desired nothing more than money, wine, and women.
William II Rufus was the son of William the Conqueror and Matilda. Before his death, William the Conqueror recommended his second son, William, to be elected as the King of England. Upon learning of his father's will, William left Normandy and headed to Winchester, where he called upon all the Norman barons in England and announced his father's wishes. He was then chosen as the king. Meanwhile, the lords in Normandy gathered to discuss the succession to the throne and agreed to elect Robert, William's elder brother, as the sole monarch for both England and Normandy.
William attempted to prevent this by seeking the support of prominent Saxons. In a short period of time, he managed to gather a thirty-thousand-strong army. With these forces, he approached Rochester, where his brother's supporters had taken refuge. They resisted for a while but eventually recognized William as the king and were allowed to leave the city with their weapons. Soon after, Robert himself renounced his claims to England. Both parties agreed that the surviving brother would inherit both England and Normandy.
William II Rufus was known for his intelligence, strength, and bravery in battle, as well as his sharp and cynical speeches. However, as he grew older, he indulged in his vices of greed, debauchery, and cruelty. It seemed that he desired nothing more than money, wine, and women. His entire policy revolved around increasing the treasury: feudal taxes, payments for marriage and guardianship of minors were pushed to monstrous proportions. He fully exercised his right as king to collect revenues from vacant bishoprics. For four years, William did not appoint an Archbishop of Canterbury, seizing the income from the diocese. These lawlessness acts caused strong outrage, and when William was suddenly killed on a hunting trip, few mourned his death.
