WILLIAM II, surnamed Run's, from his red face, king of England: b. Normandy, 1056; d. New Forest, Hampshire, 2 Aug. 1100. He was the third son of William I and was sent to England by his father the day before the death of the latter with a recommendation to the barons and bishops that he should be the Conqueror's successor. His wishes were re spected and William Rufus was crowned at Westminster 26 Sept. 1087. The division of England and Normandy did not, however, please the great barons, who possessed territories in both; and a conspiracy was formed for effecting the deposition of William in favor of his brother Robert; but the conspiracy was re pressed with great vigor; the confederate nobles were forced to withdraw to Normandy, and their English estates were confiscated. It is worthy of notice that in this instance a Norman ruler was supported by his English subjects against his Norman ones. Once firmly seated on his throne, William forgot his promises to the English; and the death of Lanfranc, arch bishop of Canterbury, freeing him from an au thority which he respected, he extended his rapacity to the church, and seized the temporali ties of vacant bishoprics and abbeys, to which be delayed appointing successors. In 1090 he made
an incursion into Normandy, to retaliate on his brother Robert; but a reconciliation was effected between them. In 1096 Robert mortgaged his dukedom to William for the sum of 10.000 marks to enable him to fit out an expedition and join the crusaders in the Holy Land. William accordingly took possession of Normandy and Maine, although in the case of the latter be was not allowed to do so without a struggle. William Rufus met his death while hunting in the New Forest. His body was found pierced by an arrow, which is generally believed to have been shot, whether accidentally or purpose,' cannot he said, by a French gentleman named Walter Tyrrel. Tyree! immediately galloped to the coast, and embarked for France, where he joined the crusaders. The body was interred without ceremony at Winchester. This went took place when the king was in the 44th year of his age, and 13th of his reign. William Rufus possessed vigor, decision and policy, but was violent, perfidious and rapacious. Consult Freeman, 'Norman Conquest of England,' Vol V (1876), and his 'Reign of William Rufus' (18th).