William Rufus

Description

William II, better known as William Rufus, was the third son of William the Conqueror and England’s king for only 13 years (1087–1100) before he was mysteriously assassinated. In this vivid biography, here updated and reissued with a new preface, Frank Barlow reveals an unconventional, flamboyant William Rufus―a far more attractive and interesting monarch than previously believed. Weaving an intimate account of the life of the king into the wider history of Anglo-Norman government, Barlow shows how William confirmed royal power in England, restored the ducal rights in France, and consolidated the Norman conquest. A boisterous man, William had many friends and none of the cold cruelty of most medieval monarchs. He was famous for his generosity and courage and generally known to be homosexual. Licentious, eccentric, and outrageous, his court was attacked at the time by Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, and later by censorious historians. This highly readable account of William Rufus and his brief but important reign is an essential volume for readers with an interest in Anglo-Saxon and medieval history or in the lives of extraordinary monarchs. CONTENTS FOREWORD TO THE YALE EDITION Xl PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION XV PREFACE TO THE FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION XVI ABBREVIATED REFERENCES XVII I Background Youth II The Kingdom Obtained (1087-1088) III The Bachelor King and his Domestic Servants IV The Nobility and Higher Clergy and the Royal Government V The Sinews of War VI The Three Brothers (1088-1095) VII The Conquering Hero (1094-IIOO) VIII Death in the Afternoon (IIOO) IX Epilogue APPENDICES A The Children of William I and Matilda B William II's Sheriffs THE ROYAL ITINERARY SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY GENEALOGICAL TABLES INDEX