William II
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Historical figure.
William II (c. 1057 - 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 september 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending his control into Wales. The third son of William the Conqueror, he is commonly referred to as William Rufus (Rufus being Latin for "the Red"), perhaps because of his ruddy appearance or, more likely, because he had red hair.
In the Sherlock Holmes stories
- Part of the Manor of Birlstone was a fortalice built by Hugo de Capus, which had been granted to him by the Red King, William II, back to the time of the first Crusade (VALL 477).
