William II of England has been depicted in various cultural media.
William II appears in Knight's Fee (1960), a children's historical novel by Rosemary Sutcliff. Sutcliff's novel depicts William as secretly being a pagan. [1] Knight's Fee was influenced by Sutcliff's reading of the essay "The Arrow and the Sword" (1947) by Hugh Ross Williamson and the book The Divine King in England (1954) by Margaret Murray, which both argued that William was covertly an adherent of a pre-Christian religion. [2]
William II is indirectly the subject of two historical novels by George Shipway, The Paladin and The Wolf Time. The main character of the novels is Walter Tirel (or Tyrell), his supposed assassin, and the main thrust of the plot of the novels is that the assassination was engineered by Henry I. [3]
The death of William Rufus is portrayed in Edward Rutherfurd's 2000 fictionalised history of the New Forest, The Forest . In Rutherfurd's version of events, the king's death takes place nowhere near the Rufus Stone, and Walter Tyrrell is framed for it by the powerful Clare family. Also, Purkiss is a clever story teller who manages (much later) to convince Charles II of England that one of his ancestors had been involved.
William Rufus is a major character in Valerie Anand's 1989 historical novel, King of the Wood (1989). He is also a major character in Parke Godwin's Robin and the King (1993), the second volume in Godwin's reinterpretation of the Robin Hood legend. [4] William Rufus and his relationship with Tyrell is mentioned and the manner of his death is included in Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz. He is a character in Stephen R. Lawhead's King Raven Trilogy about Robin Hood. [5] William Rufus' life is the focus of Judith Tarr's historical fantasy novel, King's Blood (2005). [6] William is one of several British monarchs featured in Heir to a Prophecy (2014) by Mercedes Rochelle. [7] William also appears briefly in The Rufus Spy (2018), one of the Aelf Fen historical mystery novels by Alys Clare. [8]
On television, William was portrayed by Peter Firth in the 1990 play Blood Royal: William the Conqueror, directed by Peter Jefferies. [9]
Singer Frank Turner told the story of the death of William II in the song "English Curse" from his 2011 album England Keep My Bones .
George Shipway was a British author best known for his historical novels, but he also tried his hand at political satire in his book The Chilian Club.
Rosemary Sutcliff was an English novelist best known for children's books, especially historical fiction and retellings of myths and legends. Although she was primarily a children's author, some of her novels were specifically written for adults. In a 1986 interview she said, "I would claim that my books are for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
Parke Godwin was an American writer. He won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novella in 1982 for his story "The Fire When It Comes". He was a native of New York City, where he was born in 1929. He was the grandson of Harry Post Godwin.
Geoff Taylor is an English fantasy artist.
Sword at Sunset is a best-selling 1963 novel by Rosemary Sutcliff. One of her few historical novels written specifically for adults, it is her interpretation of the legend of King Arthur.
Walter Tirel III, nicknamed the "Red Knight of Normandie", was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He is infamous for his involvement in the death of King William II of England, also known as William Rufus.
The folkloric hero Robin Hood has appeared many times, in many different variations, in popular modern works.
Bows Against the Barons is a 1934 children's novel by the British author Geoffrey Trease, based on the legend of Robin Hood. It tells the story of an adolescent boy who joins an outlaw band and takes part in a great rebellion against the feudal elite. Trease's first novel, Bows Against the Barons marks the start of his prolific career as a historical novelist. It is notable for reinterpreting the Robin Hood legend and revitalizing the conventions of children's historical fiction in 20th-century Britain.
Warrior Scarlet is a historical fiction adventure novel, published in the first place for children and young adults for, by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by Charles Keeping and first published in 1958. It is set in Bronze Age Britain, approximately 900 BCE, and takes place in and around the South Downs in England.
Richard I of England has been depicted many times in romantic fiction and popular culture.
John of England has been portrayed many times in fiction, generally reflecting the overwhelmingly negative view of his reputation.
William I of England has been depicted in a number of modern works.
Simon is a children's historical novel written by Rosemary Sutcliff, first published in 1953. It is set during the First English Civil War, primarily focusing on the final campaign of 1645-1646 in the West Country and shows the effect of the conflict on two friends, who find themselves on opposite sides.
Blood Feud is a historical novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1976.
Sun Horse, Moon Horse is a historical novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1977.
Lady in Waiting is a historical novel by Rosemary Sutcliff and first published in 1957.
The Sword and the Circle, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a children's novel written by Rosemary Sutcliff and was first published in 1981. The story is a retelling of the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. According to her own statements in the introduction, The Sword and the Circle follows the myths and folktales of King Arthur, crediting inspiration primarily from Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur; other sources include Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, English ballads, and Irish folktales. She contrasts this telling of the King Arthur story with her previous novels, The Lantern Bearers and Sword at Sunset, which were more an attempt to connect with a concrete historical figure behind the folktales.
King Henry I of England has been portrayed in various cultural media.
Lady of the Forest: A Novel of Sherwood is a 1992 historical fiction novel by American author Jennifer Roberson. A re-telling of the Robin Hood legend from the perspective of twelve characters associated with the legend, the story centers around English noblewoman Lady Marian FitzWalter's encounters with Lord Robert of Locksley and his scheming rival the Sheriff of Nottingham amid the backdrop of Prince John's schemes – he aims to increase his own wealth and power at the expense of post-Conquest England and his brother, King Richard.
Knight's Fee is a children's historical novel written by Rosemary Sutcliff, first published in 1960. It is set in and around the South Downs in England, near the towns of Steyning and Arundel in West Sussex and covers the period 1094–1106, some 30–40 years after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.