![william rufus william rufus](https://www.troovez.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/1600815391_La-pierre-de-Rufus-Memorial-a-William-Rufus-impopulaire.jpg)
On his deathbed, however, Edward granted the kingdom to Harold Godwinson, head of the leading noble family in England and more powerful than the king himself. According to Norman historians, Edward promised to make William his heir. King William the Second, surnamed Rufus, being slain, as before related, was laid in a cart, belonging to one Purkis, and drawn from hence, to Winchester,Īnd buried in the Cathedral Church, of that city.In 1051, William is believed to have visited England and met with his cousin Edward the Confessor, the childless English king. "Here stood the oak tree, on which an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrell at a stag, glanced and struck King William the Second, surnamed Rufus, on the breast, of which he instantly died, on the second day of August, anno 1100. The inscription on the Rufus Stone is as follows: A stone, known as the Rufus Stone, marks the place where he was found. The death of the Red King remains a mystery. The Death of King William Rufus - The Rufus Stone The Norman friends of Rufus fled the English court and returned to Normandy. Walter Tyrrell rode straight away to Southampton, and went off to the Holy Land so it is likely that he knew something about the king's death. Some thought it must be a knight, named Walter Tyrrell, to whom the king had given three long good arrows that morning. Who shot the arrow nobody knew, and nobody ever will know. A wood-cutter called Purkis took his body in his cart to Winchester Cathedral, where he was buried. He was later found dead under an oak tree, with an arrow through his heart by peasants. In the year 1100, Rufus went out to hunt deer in the New Forest. He did not marry, nor produce any heirs to the English throne. Rufus had never showed any interest in women. He was hated by the people who dislike the court and the favor that King William II showed to Ranulf Flambard, whom he appointed Bishop of Durham in 1099. Anselm, and everyone else who tried to object to his behaviour. In England Rufus removed the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. The Red King was very ready to make such a bargain, and he laughed at the Crusaders, and thought that they were wasting their time and trouble. So he offered to give up Normandy to his brother William while he was gone, if William would let him have the money he wanted. But he had wasted his money, so that he could not fit out an army to take with him. Many thousands promised to go on this crusade and among them was Robert, Duke of Normandy. The atrocities in Jerusalem started the preaching of Peter the Hermit and led to the First Crusade.
![william rufus william rufus](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/ERGP2C/william-ii-known-as-william-rufus-or-william-the-red-portrait-king-ERGP2C.jpg)
He cared only for being powerful, for feasting, and for hunting. William Rufus let his cruel soldiers do just as they pleased in England, and spoil what they did not want. He is sometimes called the Red King, but more commonly William Rufus. He had sent off his second son, William, to England, with his ring to Westminster, giving him a message that he hoped the English people would have him for their king. William the Conqueror was obliged to let Normandy pass to Robert, his eldest son but he thought he could do as he pleased about England, which he had won for himself. The story of King William II ( William Rufus - The Red King )