WILLIAM II. RuFrs (c.1056-1100). King of England from 1087 to 1100. He was the third son of William the Conqueror, and• was educated Uy Lanfrane (q.v.), Archbishop of Canterbury. William was the favorite son of his father, who, after having recommended him to the barons and prelates as successor to the crown, sent him to England the day before he himself died. Land ing at William presented himself to Lan franc, who brought him before the nobles and pre lates as their King. No opposition was offered, and William was crowned on September 26, 1087. But in less than three months his uncle, Odo, headed a rebellion in favor of the King's brother, Robert (q.v.), Duke of Normandy, who was con sidered less stern. William put down the rebel lion by the aid of his English subjects, and in revenge he invaded Normandy in 1090. Peace was made in 1091 and Robert and Wil liam then turned their united arms against their brother Henry, later Henry I. (q.v.), who had purchased from Robert the district of Cotentin. The fortune of war went against Henry. who was driven into exile. Returning to England. William's next enterprise was an invasion of Scotland, whose King did homage to him. In 1094 he again invaded Nor mandy, but accomplished little. William was re called to England by disturbances in Wales and in the North. in the year 1096 Eobert,w•ho had re
solved to go to Palestine. pledged his Duchy of Normandy to William for 10,000 marks. In 1098 William attempted to conquer Maine, but was only partially successful. He was shot while hunting in the New Forest, August 2. 1100. It is not known by whom the arrow was shot, or whether it was done accidentally. William was a stern ruler and was feared by his subjects. His justiciar was the notorious Ranulf Flam bard (q.v.). His private life was extremely im moral. After Lanfranc's death in 1089 he op pressed the Church. In February, 1093. he was ill, and. fearing death. became repentant. Then he consented to the appointment of Anselm to the see of Canterbury, left vacant by Lan franc's d. nth, but. soon recovering, he fell back into his oil ways. From this time he was in eon-tant strife with Au,-elm, and in 1099 was threatened by the Pope with excommunication. When he was buried at Winchester no religious services were held. The English chronicle says m as loathsome to well-nigh all his people. and abominable to God." For full details and reierthees consult: Freeman. History of the Nor man Compr'st, vol. c. t l Mord. P:476) : id., Wit ham Rufus (2 vols., Oxford. 1882).