Laughter and Grief in Twelfth-Century Accounts of the Death of William Rufus

What is it about?

The Norman King of England, William II 'Rufus', died in August 1100 while hunting. There are no reliable eye-witness reports, but accounts of the incident written in later decades, even if not factually accurate, can help us to understand perceptions of kingship in the twelfth century. In the contrasting examples examined here, the king's laughter before his death and the extent of grief displayed at his demise form a type of moral and political commentary on the nature of his rule. The article engages with techniques from the history of emotions to draw conclusions about how medieval commentators viewed Rufus's emotional performance as a monarch.

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Why is it important?

The article uses one case study to build on and test recent developments in the history of emotions, insofar as this field has engaged with medieval European history. It argues for complexity in our approach to past emotions, and warns against imposing a single 'emotional regime' on any historical period.