William Rufus, or William the Red, the second son of the Conqueror, succeeded his father; he was addicted to field sports, and one day, while pursuing a deer in the forest, he was killed by an arrow, discharged by Walter Tyrrel. The arrow first hit a tree, but it glanced, and struck the king in the breast. This occurred in the year 1100.
Henry First, the third son of the Conqueror, succeeded. He was very despotic, but still he sought to promote the prosperity of his kingdom. He patronised learning, restored the University of Cambridge, and received the title of Beau Clerk, which implies that he was a good scholar. He punished robbers, who were very numerous in his day, with severity; he abolished the hated curfew, established a uniform standard of weights and measures, and granted charters of various kinds, which were the first beginnings of English liberty. He died in Normandy, 1135.
Stephen usurped the throne which Henry had bequeathed to his daughter, Matilda, in 1135. After a disturbed reign of nineteen years, Stephen died in 1154, and was succeeded by Henry II., son of Matilda. He held the kingdom of Brittany, in France, and conquered Ireland, which has ever since been attached to the British crown.
He was a wise prince, but he had great trouble with the clergy. Thomas á Becket, the primate of England, who was thought to be disposed greatly to extend his power, was murdered by some persons in the cathedral of Canterbury. This crime was laid to King Henry, and he was obliged, by the Pope of Rome, to take a solemn oath that he had nothing to do with it, in order to clear himself. He was also obliged to walk barefoot to the tomb of Becket, and to yield to various penances, imposed by the monks of Canterbury. He was severely whipped with rods by the monks, during his penance, and to this he patiently submitted. He died 1189.
Richard the Lion-Hearted, his son, succeeded him, and was crowned 1189. He was a man of great bodily strength, of invincible courage, and possessed many generous qualities. He was seized with the mania of the age, to go and fight against the Turks for the recovery of Jerusalem. In Palestine, he performed prodigies of valor, and on his way back, was taken and imprisoned by the Duke of Austria. He was released after some years, his people paying a heavy ransom. He was afterwards shot by a cross-bow, while besieging a castle in Normandy.
He was succeeded by his brother John, who was so poor as to get the surname of Lackland. John was a weak, vicious king; but one good thing happened during his reign. He signed a paper, called Magna Charta, or Great Charter, in which he yielded some portion of the despotic power before claimed by the kings of England. This was a serious abridgement of the king’s authority, and it opened the way for still further enlarging the liberties of the people. He died in 1216.
Henry III., though but nine years old, succeeded his father John, and reigned fifty-five years. He was a weak and vicious king, and the people took advantage of his folly and weakness, to extort from the crown various concessions, which extended and secured their liberties.
He was succeeded by his son Edward, in 1272, called Longshanks, on account of his uncommonly long legs. He was a famous warrior, and conquered Wales. He made war upon Scotland, and was bravely resisted by the famous William Wallace. While marching with a great army against Robert Bruce, who headed the Scotch, he died, and his son, Edward II., succeeded him in 1307. He led an army of 100,000 men against Scotland, but was defeated with vast slaughter, in the celebrated battle of Bannockburn. He was a foolish king, and his own wife imprisoned him, and caused him to be murdered.
His son, Edward III., began to reign in 1327, at the age of eighteen. He was a brave warrior, and beat the Scotch and the French. His son, the celebrated Black Prince, was not less renowned as a warrior, while he was also distinguished for his kindness and generosity. This prince died 1376, and his father the year after.
Richard II., grandson of Edward III., came to the throne in 1377, being only eleven years old. During his reign, there was a famous rebellion, the leader of which was Walter Tyler, a blacksmith. Walter, in a conference with the king, was so insolent, that William Walworth knocked him down with a club, and one of the soldiers despatched him.