The Death of William Rufus

William II (1056 – 2 August 1100), the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100. William is commonly known as William Rufus, perhaps because of his red-faced appearance. 

He seems to have been a flamboyant character, and his reign was marked by his bellicose temperament. He did not marry, nor did he produce any offspring, legitimate or otherwise. He died after being struck by an arrow while hunting, under circumstances that remain murky, and was succeeded by his younger brother Henry.

The two fullest accounts of his death name the same human agent,

William of Malmesbury’s version (c. 1125) goes like this.

“After dinner on 2nd August 1100 the king rode into the New Forest with a few companions to hunt. The party split up in search of deer, and the king was left alone with Walter Tirel. As evening was drawing in, a stag passed near them, and the king shot an arrow at it, but failed to kill; it fled westward, the king shielding his eyes to watch it disappearing into the setting sun. Then stag passed by, and in a flash Walter had loosed another arrow, the arrow struck the king, who died immediately without a word.”

Orderic Vitalis (c. 1135) tells a similar story. After recording portents, he takes the king swiftly to his doom. “He got up, mounted his horse and sped into the wood. Count Henry (his brother) and William de Brereuil and other great men were there; they went into the woodland, and the huntsmen were scattered in their various positions. The king and Walter de Poix  (Tirel) established themselves with a few companions in the wood, and waited eagerly for the prey, with weapons ready. Suddenly a beast ran between them; the king jumped back from his place, and Walter let an arrow fly. The arrow shaved the hair on the animal’s back, sped on and wounded the king standing beyond. He soon fell to the ground, and died instantly.”

Contrary to the above accounts according to his contemporaries William Tirel was often heard denying that he was in the same part of the wood that day or saw the king on the hunt.

Hunting accidents were frequent in every century, but whatever the circumstances in the death of the king, most considered it divine judgment on an unpopular ruler.

Cnut the Great

Cnut the Great  (c. 985 or 995 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute, was a king of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden. Though after the death of his heirs within a decade of his own and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, his legacy was largely lost to history, historian Norman F. Cantor has made the paradoxical statement that he was "the most effective king in Anglo-Saxon history".

He was generally remembered as a wise and successful king of England, although this view may in part be attributable to his good treatment of the Church, keeper of the historic record. 

He was also swift to deal with his enemies and merciless. Before leaving England in 1014, he dispensed with the hostages his father had collected; but he mutilated them in the process.

He was remembered as a splendid Viking, who never suffered in England from the divisions and disloyalties which marred the milder rule of Ethelred.

 

“Gracious giver of mighty gifts, you made corselets red in Norwich. You will lose your life before your courage fails. Still you pressed on, blunting swords upon weapons; they could not defend their strongholds when you attacked. The bow screamed loud. You won no less renown, driver of the leaping steed of the roller, on Thames’s bank. The wolf’s jaw know this well. King bold in attack (we have moved on to 1026), and there the she-wolf got much wolfs food. Terrible staff of battle, you held the land against two princes, and the raven did not go hungry there. You are swift to deal with the race of men.”

William the Conqueror’s death bed confession

This is an interesting article. William the Conqueror covering all angles on his death bed. How much is true is anyone’s guess, but he lived in violent times and his conquest of England was a violent and ruthless one. The bloodshed did not stop with the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

“I have persecuted the natives of England beyond all reason. Whether gentle or simple I have cruelly oppressed them; many I unjustly disinherited; innumerable multitudes perished through me by famine or the sword……I fell on the English of the northern shires like a ravening lion. I commanded their houses and corn, with all their implements and chattels, to be burnt without distinction, and great herds of cattle and beasts of burden to be butchered whenever they are found. In this way I took revenge on multitudes of both sexes by subjecting them to the calamity of a cruel famine, and so became a barbarous murderer of many thousands, both young and old, of that fine race of people. Having gained the throne of that kingdom by so many crimes I dare not leave it to anyone but God…..

William’s death bed confession according to Ordericus Vitalis c AD 1130.