General Notes

REFN: 1902AN
Alias:<ALIA> /Rufus/
REFN: P1902
Shot by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest. [1] In the year one thou
sand and eighty-seven from the fullness of time in which the Truth arose f
rom the earth, Robert, the eldest son, succeeded his father in the duc
hy of Normandy, and William, surnamed Rufus, in the king dom of England; t
his was in inverted order, it is true, but it was so ordained (as has alre
ady been said) by the last will of their father. In consequence of this, s
ome of the nobility inclined to Robert, as the lawful heir, who wa s unjus
tly deprived, and thus they disturbed the tranquillity of the kingdo
m. At first, William governed but feebly, and with difficulty; but to conc
iliate the minds of his subjects, he conducted himself with modesty and mi
ldness; the moment, however, that his empire was firmly established by t
he subjugatio n of his enemies, and the indolence of his brother, his hea
rt was elevated. He appeared to be in prosperity (what in adversity he h
ad carefully concealed) a man void of understanding, and inconstant in a
ll his ways, impious towards God and grievous to the church; a disregard
er of marriage, thoroughly wanton , draining the resources of the kingd
om by the most lavish expenditure, and , when these failed, seizing on t
he property of his subjects for such like purposes. He was a model of t
he most consummate pride; and, in disgust at, or e ven in derision of, div
ine truth, altogether wallowed in
the foulest sensuali ty of temporal glory. [2] His elder brother, Robert (
to whom, indeed, the succession to the crown pertained in natural order) w
as of a less haughty and ferocious disposition; but he proved, in the less
er administration of the duchy of Normandy, how incompetent he was for t
he management of an extensive monarchy. In arms, however, he was so conspi
cuous, that, in the great and famous expedition to Jerusalem, he was emine
ntly distinguished for
military glory am ong the noblest chieftains of the world. Henry, the youn
ger born, a man of am iable disposition, engaged in war against his unnatu
ral and faithless brothers -- for they, giving him nothing of their own, e
ven defrauded him of what hi s father bad bequeathed him by will; and whil
st they were envious of him, as he was gradually rising into notice, he pr
udently evaded stratagems, and secured his safety. [3] About this time, An
selm, abbot of Bec, a holy man and mighty in the word of God, who also w
as a Lombard by nation, succeeded Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, w
ho now went the way of all flesh; he had
formerl y been his pupil. Gerard, too, succeeded to the archbishopric of Y
ork, on the death of Thomas. [4] During this king's reign the Lord stirr
ed up the spirit of the Christians against the Saracens, who had, by the h
idden decree of God, so long possessed, as it were by hereditary right, t
he sanctuary of the Lord, that is to say, those holy places where our rede
mption was consummated. I n consequence of this, a vast concourse of Chris
tian people was gathered toge ther by the pious labors of Urban, the Rom
an pontiff, and other servants of G od. The most valiant princes, distingu
ished by the ensign of Christ, and accompanied by a numerous army, aft
er a most toilsome march, penetrated to the kingdoms of the East; and by t
heir pious and successful exertions, captured those magnificent cities, Ni
cea in Bithynia, and Antioch in Syria; and, ultimately, the Holy City itse
lf; among those leaders, Robert, duke of Normandy, was signally conspicuou
s. When preparing for this expedition with the other Chris tian princes, h
e, finding his pecuniary resources insufficient, pledged Normandy to his
brother William for a considerable sum. He then entered on this meritorio
us expedition with the other Christian princes, and having finished his ca
reer successfully, returned, after many years absence, to his own country.
WILLIAM II (KNOWN A