William Rufus gave the Manor of Tewkesbury to his cousin, Robert FitzHamon. Together with the patronage of the Priory of Tewkesbury.

William Rufus was crowned at Westminster Abbey by Archbishop Lanfranc after the death of his father William the Conqueror.

The earldom of Warwick was created by William II and given to Henry de Beaumont. Henry de Beaumont changed his name to Newburgh.

Many Norman barons held land both in England and Normandy. With two opposing lords, William in England and Robert in Normandy, the barons were finding it difficult to know who to support. A revolt led by Odo sprung up in England with the aim of removing William from the throne. Odo's revolt in Kent and Sussex was supported by barons across the country. Roger Bigod from Norwich and Geoffrey of Coutances and Robert Mowbray from Bristol supported Odo. In Worcestershire Roger de Lacy captured Hereford and attacked Worcester. In the south-east Roger Montgomery at Arundel Robert of Mortain at Pevensey and Gilbert de Clare at Tonbridge also prepared to fight the King. Robert of Belleme, a Norman baron, who was able to bring support from Normandy. Robert also controlled castles in the Welsh Marches where the revolt also took place.

The Worcestershire rebellion led by Robert of Lacy was dealt with quickly by Wulfstan, the Bishop of Worcester, who called on those knights and local landowners still loyal to the King to defend Worcester. Many of the rebels were captured or killed. ^[1]

William Rufus had insufficient men at his disposal to deal with the rebellion in the south-east as there were too many ports to guard. The King called the representatives of the fyrd (the ordinary people of the country organised into an army) to a meeting in London where, with the support Lanfranc, he promised the people better laws and the removal of unfair taxes if they supported him against the rebels. The people agreed and together with the King they captured the castle at Tonbridge after a two day siege. ^[1]

William Rufus lay siege to Pevensey Castle where Odo had taken shelter with Robert of Mortain. The siege lasted for six weeks. Robert, the Duke of Normandy, sent a force to support the rebels at Pevensey but they were unable to land because the King had made sure the ports were well guarded. Robert admitted defeat and withdrew his support for the rebels. Odo had little choice, other than that to starve, and surrendered to the King. Odo agreed to go to Rochester where he would convince the rebels to accept William Rufus as the rightful King of England.

Odo was accompanied to Rochester Castle by an escort but When they reached the castle the rebels captured the escort and refused to accept William Rufus as their King. Again William called for the people of England to support him against the rebels and together they lay siege to the castle. Odo surrendered when it was agreed that those in the castle would have their lives spared if the they came out. Odo and the rebels were allowed to leave but their lands in England were taken from them. Odo went into exiled in Normandy.

After the death of Archbishop Lanfranc William Rufus held open the post of Archbishop of Canterbury for four years taking the revenues for his own purposes.

William Rufus gathered the nobles and bishops at Hastings Castle to do him homage after he became king, showing how important this castle was during the early Norman years. ^[2]

King William II took an army into Normandy and attacked the army of his elder brother Robert Curthose, the Duke. William claimed some of Robert's lands after the brothers agreed to peace. One term of the agreement was that Edgar the Atheling should be expelled from Normandy as his potential claim to the English throne was a threat to William.

The fourth major invasion into the north of England by Malcolm III started when the Scots began a siege of Durham. ^[3]

The Normans, led by William Rufus, went north to deal with the Scots but a conflict was averted and a renewal of the treaty of Abernethy was agreed.

William Rufus renewed the arrangement that his father had with Malcolm III, King of the Scots. This may have included letting Malcolm have some areas of northern England. Even so this did not prevent further attacks on England in the north by the Scots. The negotiation of the peace between England and Scotland was assisted by Edgar the Atheling.  ^[4]

Robert FitzHamon, the cousin of William Rufus, together with Abbot Giraldus, founded the present Abbey at Tewkesbury.

Anselm became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 succeeding Lanfranc. The post of Archbishop of Canterbury had been held open by William Rufus so that he could collect for himself the church's income, but when William became ill and thought he was going to die he nominated Anselm as archbishop. Anselm died in 1109.

William Rufus ordered the construction of a castle at Carlisle because of the thrreat that the Scottish King Malcolm III posed.

William fell ill early in this year and the illness was so serious that reports went out saying that he had died. William granted land to many religious houses in preparation for his death but when he recovered he claimed the land back. ^[5]

A meeting was arranged between Malcolm III of Scotland and William II of England at Gloucester. It was here that William demanded that the failing peace between the two nations should be judged by the barons. Malcolm refused, returning to Scotland and raising an army.

Malcolm III, the king of Scotland, and his son Edward were both killed at the battle of Alnwick in Northumberland. Malcolm had invaded England after William II had made moves to take more control over Cumbria and had fortified Carlisle. The bodies of the Scottish king and his son where buried at Tynemouth Priory.

After Malcolm III and his eldest son Edward by his second marriage were killed near Alnwick Donald, Malcolm's brother, became the king of Scotland. Malcolm's family were forced into exiled in England. Malcolm had another son, Duncan, by his first wife. But Duncan was being held hostage at the court of William Rufus.

After attacking four merchant ships Robert Mowbray was called for by William Rufus to explain his actions. Instead Mowbray rose up in rebellion against the king along with other powerful Norman Barons. Mowbray chose the castle at Tynemouth as his base and converted the large enclosure into a strong fortification. The castle fell to William Rufus after a siege of two months. Mowbray managed to escape to Tynemouth church but was captured and made prisoner.

In the depths of a royal forest Rockingham Castle was chosen as the location for a council to discuss the major differences between King William and Archbishop Anselm.

Robert of Normandy became under pressure from William Rufus who laid claim to Normandy. William was gaining support from some Norman barons and Robert took the opportunity to leave Normandy to answer Pope Urban II's call for a Crusade. Robert agreed that William could lease Normandy for three years for a sum of 10,000 marks. This money would help him fund the expedition.

Edgar, the son of Malcolm III of Scotland, and his second wife Margaret of Wessex became the king of Scotland after taking the Scottish throne from Donald Bane. Edgar was assisted by an English army supplied by William Rufus in return for swaring fealty to the Englsih King. The army was led by Edgar the Atheling, Edgar's uncle.

William Rufus arranged the construction of a new hall outside of London near Westminster Abbey. Westminster Hall was the largest hall in England and designed, no doubt, to impress and somewhere to hold banquets, ceremonies and a place to celebrate the coronations that took place in the Abbey near by. The hall is the earliest surviving building on the site.

Conflicts between Archbishop Anselm and William Rufus resulted in the Archbishop leaving England and heading for Rome. William confiscated Anselm's land.

Ranulf Flambard is made the Bishop of Durham by William Rufus.

William Rufus was buried under the tower of Winchester Cathedral. The tower fell down either in 1101 or 1107. The cause was blamed on the wickedness of the King's bones but was probably due to poor construction or uncertain foundations.

William Rufus was killed while hunting in the New Forest. He was succeeded by Prince Henry, his younger brother, who became King Henry I. ^[6]