William II. William II, the third son of William the Conqueror, was King of England from 26 September 1087 until 2 August 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland.
He was less successful in extending control into Wales. William is commonly known as William Rufus, perhaps because of his ruddy appearance or, more likely, due to having red hair as a child that grew out in later life.
William was a figure of complex temperament, capable of both bellicosity and flamboyance. He did not marry, nor did he father any offspring, which has led to speculations of possible homosexuality by historians.
He died after being struck by an arrow while hunting, under circumstances that remain unclear. Circumstantial evidence in the behaviour of those around him raises strong, but unproven, suspicions of murder.
His younger brother Henry I hurriedly succeeded him as king. Barlow says William was A rumbustious, devil-may-care soldier, without natural dignity or social graces, with no cultivated tastes and little show of conventional religious piety or morality, indeed, according to his critics, addicted to every kind of vice, particularly lust and especially sodomy. On the other hand, he was a wise ruler and victorious general. Barlow finds that, His chivalrous virtues and achievements were all too obvious. He had maintained good order and satisfactory justice in England and restored good peac
He was less successful in extending control into Wales. William is commonly known as William Rufus, perhaps because of his ruddy appearance or, more likely, due to having red hair as a child that grew out in later life.
William was a figure of complex temperament, capable of both bellicosity and flamboyance. He did not marry, nor did he father any offspring, which has led to speculations of possible homosexuality by historians.
He died after being struck by an arrow while hunting, under circumstances that remain unclear. Circumstantial evidence in the behaviour of those around him raises strong, but unproven, suspicions of murder.
His younger brother Henry I hurriedly succeeded him as king. Barlow says William was A rumbustious, devil-may-care soldier, without natural dignity or social graces, with no cultivated tastes and little show of conventional religious piety or morality, indeed, according to his critics, addicted to every kind of vice, particularly lust and especially sodomy. On the other hand, he was a wise ruler and victorious general. Barlow finds that, His chivalrous virtues and achievements were all too obvious. He had maintained good order and satisfactory justice in England and restored good peac
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