William Rufus was the third and favorite son of William the Conqueror. He was not expected to ascend to the throne, but because of a long-running feud between his father and his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, and the death of his second eldest brother, Richard, the Kingdom of England was bequeathed to William Rufus. The historical record of his thirteen year reign portrays him highly unfavorably, but unlike his father, who was very deferential to the church, William Rufus feuded with his bishops and confiscated church revenues, behavior which tended to detract from one's reputation with the chroniclers of the time. By all accounts however, the William's conduct in both his private and public life was reprehensible. Although a strong and energetic king, he was cruel, grasping, arrogant and lacking in tact and discretion.
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It was his relationship with the church however, rather than with rebellious barons, that gave him the most trouble. He was tutored in his youth by Lanfranc, a highly esteemed advisor to William the Conqueror, and the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury. As long as Lanfranc lived, his bad behavior was held somewhat in check, but Lanfranc died early in his reign, and from that point on, William's relationship with the Church was antagonistic and his personal conduct deplorable. He confiscated church monies for his own personal and extravagant use, failed to fill bishoprics, or filled them with corrupt cronies, and showed no deference for the church or contrition for his behavior. Eventually, after four years of keeping the Archbishop of Canterbury vacant, under great pressure, and in a moment of weakness, he appointed Anselm to the position. Anselm was familiar with the deplorable state of affairs and dreaded the task, but was likewise pressured to accept the position and fell out of favor with William Rufus almost immediately. After four years of conflict, Anselm left England and did not return until after William's death in a hunting accident two years later.
Birth of William Rufus, the third and favorite son of William the Conqueror. | |
William the Conqueror wins the crown of England at the Battle of Hastings. | |
Fought on the side of his father, during his brother Robert's rebellion. | |
Crowned king of England on the death of his father. | |
Second rebellion of Robert Curthose | |
Death of Lanfranc, Archbishop and counsellor of William Rufus. | |
Repulsed an invasion from Scotland by Malcolm, and an attempted coup by Henry I. | |
Appointed Anselm as Archbishop of Canterbury. | |
Defeated and killed Malcolm of Scotland at the battle of Alnwick | |
Raised money for Robert Curthose's crusade. | |
As regent of Normandy, annexed Maine to his brother's dominions. | |
Died in a hunting accident in the New Forest. |
Sons of William the Conqueror in | Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin |
Edith of Scotland in | Historic Girls by E. S. Brooks |
The Red King in the New Forest in | Cambridge Historical Reader—Primary by Cambridge Press |
Red King in | Stories from English History by Alfred J. Church |
Story of William the Red in | Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall |
Death of the Red King in | Historical Tales: English by Charles Morris |
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Image Links | ||
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![]() A Norman King Hunting in Stories from English History |
![]() Anselm dragged to the Bedside of Rufus in Anselm |
![]() Rufus and Anselm dispute at Hastings in Anselm |
![]() Charcoal-burners finding the body of Rufus. in Anselm |
henry1 | |
Lanfranc | Norman Archbishop of Canterbury, installed under William the Conqueror. |
Robert III of Normandy | Eldest son of William the conqueror. Raised a rebellion against his father. |
Long reigning King of Scotland, married St. Margaret, befriended Saxon exiles from Normans. | |
St. Anselm | Archbishop of Canterbury under William Rufus and Henry I. Feuded with both kings. |