Individual Details
King William II "Rufus"
(Bet 1056 and 1060 - 2 Aug 1100)
thePeerage.com
William II 'Rufus', King of England1
M, #102026, b. between 1056 and 1060, d. 2 August 1100
Last Edited=10 Feb 2011
Consanguinity Index=0.34%
King William II of England
by Renold Elstrick 2
William II 'Rufus', King of England was born between 1056 and 1060 at Normandy, France.3 He was the son of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen. He died on 2 August 1100 at New Forest, Hampshire, England, an 'accident' with an arrow while hunting, unmarried He may have been assassinated at the orders on of his younger brother, Henry I.3 He was buried at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England.1
William II 'Rufus', King of England also went by the nick-name of William 'Rufus' because of his red face and, like his father, he was fat.4 He succeeded to the title of King William II of England on 9 September 1087.3 He was crowned King of England on 26 September 1087 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England, and styled 'Dei Gratiâ Rex Anglorum', crowned by Archbishop of Canterbury Llanfranc.5
William was very fond of his father and always loyal to him. He had a tendancy to stutter when excited. He won military successes in Normandy, and advanced the Norman cause in Wales as well as overcoming rebellions of his barons. The church certainly had no liking for him, a view he reciprocated. He had the reputation of being cruel, harsh, capricious and profligate and yet he was admired by many as a good soldier and leader and a generous man. His true character may be lost forever in the mists of time.4 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.6
Citations
[S106] Royal Genealogies Website (ROYAL92.GED), online http://www.daml.org/2001/01/gedcom/royal92.ged. Hereinafter cited as Royal Genealogies Website.
[S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2 December 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."
[S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 44. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Families.
[S7] Antonia Fraser, Kings and Queens of England (London, U.K.: Cassell & Co., 1998), page 31. Hereinafter cited as Kings and Queens of England.
[S4] C.F.J. Hankinson, editor, DeBretts Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage, 147th year (London, U.K.: Odhams Press, 1949), page 20. Hereinafter cited as DeBretts Peerage, 1949.
[S18] Matthew H.C.G., editor, Dictionary of National Biography on CD-ROM (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1995). Hereinafter cited as Dictionary of National Biography.
William II 'Rufus', King of England1
M, #102026, b. between 1056 and 1060, d. 2 August 1100
Last Edited=10 Feb 2011
Consanguinity Index=0.34%
King William II of England
by Renold Elstrick 2
William II 'Rufus', King of England was born between 1056 and 1060 at Normandy, France.3 He was the son of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen. He died on 2 August 1100 at New Forest, Hampshire, England, an 'accident' with an arrow while hunting, unmarried He may have been assassinated at the orders on of his younger brother, Henry I.3 He was buried at Winchester Cathedral, Winchester, Hampshire, England.1
William II 'Rufus', King of England also went by the nick-name of William 'Rufus' because of his red face and, like his father, he was fat.4 He succeeded to the title of King William II of England on 9 September 1087.3 He was crowned King of England on 26 September 1087 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England, and styled 'Dei Gratiâ Rex Anglorum', crowned by Archbishop of Canterbury Llanfranc.5
William was very fond of his father and always loyal to him. He had a tendancy to stutter when excited. He won military successes in Normandy, and advanced the Norman cause in Wales as well as overcoming rebellions of his barons. The church certainly had no liking for him, a view he reciprocated. He had the reputation of being cruel, harsh, capricious and profligate and yet he was admired by many as a good soldier and leader and a generous man. His true character may be lost forever in the mists of time.4 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.6
Citations
[S106] Royal Genealogies Website (ROYAL92.GED), online http://www.daml.org/2001/01/gedcom/royal92.ged. Hereinafter cited as Royal Genealogies Website.
[S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2 December 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."
[S11] Alison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London, U.K.: The Bodley Head, 1999), page 44. Hereinafter cited as Britain's Royal Families.
[S7] Antonia Fraser, Kings and Queens of England (London, U.K.: Cassell & Co., 1998), page 31. Hereinafter cited as Kings and Queens of England.
[S4] C.F.J. Hankinson, editor, DeBretts Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage, 147th year (London, U.K.: Odhams Press, 1949), page 20. Hereinafter cited as DeBretts Peerage, 1949.
[S18] Matthew H.C.G., editor, Dictionary of National Biography on CD-ROM (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1995). Hereinafter cited as Dictionary of National Biography.
Events
| Birth | Bet 1056 and 1060 | ||||
| Title (Nobility) | 9 Sep 1087 | King of England | |||
| Death | 2 Aug 1100 |
Families
| Father | William I "the Conqueror" "the Bastard" (1028 - 1087) |
| Mother | Matihilde van Vlaanderen (1031 - 1083) |
| Sibling | Matilda de Normandie ( - 1112) |
| Sibling | Adela de Normandie (1062 - 1137) |
| Sibling | King Henry I "Beauclerc" (1068 - 1135) |
| Sibling | Robert III "Curthose" (1051 - 1134) |
| Sibling | Richard of Bernay (1054 - 1081) |