William Rufus

Consider this:

Any popular modern history book, or television programme, following the history of English kings and queens, normally suggests that William was a wicked king. This is much to do with the lack of time that is available to devote to each monarch. Such restrictions mean it is tempting to take a brief note of contemporary chroniclers and do little investigation into the bias they may hold. As William only reigned for thirteen years, and had no heir, it is almost too easy to remove him from our histories.

The best way to describe who William Rufus was is to explain that he was the son of William the Conqueror. It is a shame that you have to explain a son by his father's success but this is hardly a modern dilemma. William of Malmesbury states: He would no doubt have been a prince incomparable in our time, had not his father's greatness eclipsed him, and had not the fates cut short his years...

It is a fact that William had no legitimate children, but historians still argue as to why he died with no heir. They miss the point that the absence of a queen meant that William's court was lacking in the affairs normally undertaken by the queen. A queen was the most important part of court politics and patronage. It is important to examine how contemporary queens ruled over their court and what special powers they held.

William is best known for his abuse of church land and his quarrels with Anselm. Historical debate normally focuses upon these two battling over the same issues that haunted all kings in this period. As all chroniclers claim William acted disrespectfully towards the church it is important to see how the church operated within his court. With the absence of a primate, William worked closely with his bishops.

Both contemporary and modern historians described William as a villain, but all agree that he was a true knight. William enjoyed the company of his knights and many were attracted to his court. He followed a strict code of practice and always showed respect to other knights, even his enemies.

Article added: 2006-06-09 @ 6:16 am | Last Modified: 2006-06-10 @ 8:59 am

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