William II (1057?-1100) became king of England in 1087. He was the son of William I, the Conqueror. William II was called Rufus, meaning red, because of his ruddy complexion. He was an effective and powerful ruler. But his personal morality and his infringements on church rights led the clergy to denounce him and have given him a bad reputation among historians.
In 1088, several powerful Norman barons revolted against William. He put down the revolt and thus strengthened his position as king. Later, he gained control of Normandy by financing the crusading ventures of his brother Robert, Duke of Normandy. He also invaded Scotland and brought it under his control in 1097.
William’s reign was marked by a bitter quarrel with the Roman Catholic Church. After the archbishop of Canterbury died in 1089, William did not appoint a replacement so that he could collect the district’s revenues for himself. When William fell seriously ill in 1093, he welcomed Anselm as archbishop to atone for his sins. But when he recovered his health, he forced Anselm into exile. An arrow shot by a fellow hunter killed William while he was hunting on Aug. 2, 1100. The clergy refused to give him a church funeral.
