The Portrayal of William Rufus in the "Vita Anselmi" and Huntingdon’s "Historia Anglorum"

Term Paper , 2006 , 9 Pages , Grade: 1,5

History of Europe - Middle Ages, Early Modern Age

Williams Rufus, the second Norman king in England, did not strike a chord with his contemporary chroniclers and writers of history. Instead, he was portrayed as just about everything a monarch should not be. This changed in later centuries, but once his image had been set by eleventh and twelfth century writers, many others just drew on them, manifesting the negative picture that existed of William Rufus and reinterpreting it only in nuances.
It is not the subject of this essay to retrace and follow this picture throughout the ages, although the conclusion will come back to this point. Instead, the focus here will be on two medieval writers who wrote about William Rufus, Eadmer and Henry of Huntingdon. A short passage will deal with their backgrounds and the key features of their work, so far as they are relevant to their attitudes towards William Rufus. The main body will look at passages written about William Rufus, taking into account the rhetoric and language involved, comparing where they differ and where they have similarities. The focus here will be a critical one, highlighting contradictions within and between the texts. Finally, the conclusion will again question both Eadmer’s and Huntingdon’s motives, and try evaluate the use of their accounts of Williams Rufus.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Special Subject Group: Politics and Political Culture in Norman and Angevin England
• Essay no 2
• The Portrayal of William Rufus in the Vita Anselmi and Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum
• Conclusion
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This essay aims to analyze the portrayal of William Rufus, the second Norman king of England, in two medieval texts: Eadmer's Vita Anselmi and Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum. It examines the authors' backgrounds, their rhetorical strategies, and the contradictions within and between their accounts. The essay explores how these portrayals contribute to the broader historical narratives presented by the authors.

• The portrayal of William Rufus in medieval chronicles
• The contrasting perspectives of Eadmer and Henry of Huntingdon
• The use of rhetoric and language in shaping historical narratives
• The influence of personal biases and agendas on historical accounts
• The role of William Rufus in the broader historical context of Norman England

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

• The essay begins by introducing William Rufus as a controversial figure in English history, whose image was largely shaped by eleventh and twelfth-century writers. It outlines the essay's focus on Eadmer and Henry of Huntingdon, their backgrounds, and their respective works.
• Eadmer's Vita Anselmi presents a negative portrayal of William Rufus, highlighting his conflicts with the Church and his perceived moral failings. The essay analyzes Eadmer's use of rhetoric and language to portray Anselm as a saintly figure and William as a villain.
• Henry of Huntingdon's Historia Anglorum offers a more nuanced perspective on William Rufus, acknowledging both his positive and negative actions. The essay examines Henry's use of historical events to illustrate his broader view of Norman rule as a punishment from God.
• The essay explores the contrasting accounts of the conflict between William Rufus and Anselm, focusing on the episode of Anselm's refusal to pay a sum of money to the king. It analyzes the motivations behind both Anselm's and William's actions, as well as the biases present in the accounts of Eadmer and Henry.
• The essay concludes by examining the broader implications of the portrayals of William Rufus in Eadmer's and Henry's works, highlighting the role of historical narratives in shaping perceptions of the past.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include William Rufus, Vita Anselmi, Historia Anglorum, Eadmer, Henry of Huntingdon, Norman England, medieval history, historical narrative, rhetoric, language, conflict, Church, politics, and power. The essay explores the portrayal of William Rufus in these two medieval texts, analyzing the authors' perspectives, their use of rhetoric, and the broader historical context of their works.

• College: University of Wales, Aberystwyth (History Department)
• Course: Politics and Political Culture in Norman an Angevin Englang
• Grade: 1,5
• Author: Nicholas Williams (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 9
• Catalog Number: V127228
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640339648
• ISBN (Book): 9783640338894
• Language: English
• Tags: Portrayal, William, Rufus, Vita, Anselmi, Huntingdon’s, Historia, Anglorum