William is dead and his cross-channel empire has shattered.

For the first time in over two decades,

England was free from the dictates of Normandy.

But that didn't mean it was free from the Normans. Far from it.

They now formed the new aristocracy of this land, and it would have dawned on the

English that Rufus shared a lot in common with his father.

He was ruthless, warlike, greedy, and his one guiding principle was to expand his power. Even England's new Norman aristocracy

would have looked upon Rufus anxiously as he took the throne, but just as

concerning were the ways in which he differed from William.

Rufus was born, raised, and reveled in the new culture of European chivalry.

He was the very model of a late 11th century night and that

meant he was a gregarious party boy and once he was crowned he would become an

incredibly powerful party boy who could turn his whims into law and his vibes into

international policy.

And that was a huge problem for everyone because across the channel in Normandy ruled Duke Robert the second and

and well let's not beat around the bush.

These two brothers hated each other,

and they couldn't have been more different,

except for one key aspect.

Neither of them had a problem with starting wars. And that would have

had the Norman nobility a bit worried because in Williams rushed to colonize

England he had parceled out many English lands to pre-existing Norman nobles.

...