of Normandy, William II Rufus King of England

1056 - 1100  (~ 44 years)

• Name	of Normandy, William II Rufus
  Suffix	King of England
  Nickname	The Red
  Birth	c 1056
  Gender	Male
  Death	2 Aug 1100
  Person ID	I2591	Wilkinson
  Last Modified	14 Nov 2016

  
  

  Father	of Normandy, William I King,   b. 14 Oct 1024, Normandy,France. d. 9 Sep 1087 (Age 62 years)
  Mother	of Flanders, Matilda Queen,   b. 1031, Ghent,Vlaanderen d. 2 Nov 1083, Caen,Normandy,France. (Age 52 years)
  Family ID	F1004	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  BIOGRAPHY: William says " Rufus " , the second son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders, came to the throne of England under the name of William II of England in 1087 while his older brother, Robert Curthose, inherited the Duchy of Normandy and Henry, nicknamed " Beauclerc ", literate, patient and cunning, is awarded the County of Mortain and an annuity of 5000 pounds. The reign of William Rufus, brave and generous knight, will be marked by the Norman expansion to the borders of Scotland and Wales. BIOGRAPHY: Just came to power, William Rufus conflicts with the Norman barons of England. The latter, led by Odo of Bayeux, half brother of William the Conqueror ordered by William to choose between their possessions in the land of England and those located in Normandy, rebelled in 1088 and in favor of reunification the two states under the banner of Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy. The latter could not find sufficient support across the Channel, William manages to silence the rebels. BIOGRAPHY: In 1091, Robert Curthose, brave, generous but profligate, being unable to hold the duchy, William rescues him to put an end to private wars, fomented by Henry Beauclerc, who put Normandy to fire and sword. To counter attempts to seize power from their younger brother, Robert and Guillaume seal a pact whereby if one of them dies the other will take over automatically. BIOGRAPHY: Responding to the call of Pope, Robert Curthose decided to take the road to Jerusalem and says his duchy to William who, at first, restored order in Normandy in 1097 before undertaking the construction of the fortress of Gisors which permanently fixed the border between Normandy and Ile de France. BIOGRAPHY: Back in England, William Rufus was killed, in a suspicious manner, 2 August 1100. Accident or conspiracy? No one knows the exact circumstances. That day William finds his younger brother Henry I, Gilbert de Clare and Gauthier Tirel in Brockenhurst for a hunting party in the New Forest. History says that Gauthier Tirel allegedly shot an arrow at a deer. Inadvertently, with the arrow missed the animal, it would have been William Rufus in the chest, killing him instantly. A standing stone , planted in the middle of a clearing, still remember our days this unfortunate event. BIOGRAPHY: William having no offspring, Robert Curthose was busy waging war against "infidels", the first Henry Beauclerc, his younger brother, is quick to take the road from Winchester to seize the royal treasure and the crown of England. Aided by Gilbert and Roger de Clare, Henry Beauclerc was the first officially crowned king of England August 5, 1100. BIOGRAPHY: Back in Normandy in spring 1100, a fait accompli and while leaving the threat of an invasion of England, Robert Curthose finally acknowledges the rights of Henry Beauclerc first to the British Crown in exchange for an annuity Annual. In fact, the feud has just begun between the two brothers ... BIOGRAPHY: http://www.normandie-heritage.com/spip.php?article125 BIOGRAPHY: