Who Killed William II? (Murder Mystery)

Get Surfshark VPN at surfshark.deal... Enter promo code SIMPLEHISTORY for 83% off and 3 extra months for FREE!
Nearly a thousand years ago on a summer day in 1100 A.D, deep in an English forest, lay a man of noble birth dead on the ground abandoned.
A single arrow had pierced his lung and killed him.
Why was he just left there and who had killed him?
Become a Simple History member: www.youtube.co...
Support us on Patreon: / simplehistory
Copyright: DO NOT translate and re-upload our content on KZbin or other social media.
SIMPLE HISTORY MERCHANDISE
Get the Simple History books on Amazon:
www.amazon.com...
T-Shirts
teespring.com/...
Simple history gives you the facts, simple!
See the book collection here:
Amazon USA
www.amazon.com/...
Amazon UK
www.amazon.co.u...
/ simple-history-5494376...
/ simplehistoryyt
Credit:
Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Script: Conan White
Narrator:
Chris Kane
vocalforge.com/
Music Credit:
Sunset at Glengorm , Ghostpocalypse - 6 Crossing the Threshold, by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons...
Agnus Dei X - Bitter Suite , Dama-May - Primal Drive , by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommon...
Source: www.amazon.com/...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@Simplehistory]

So who do you think killed William II?

[@user-gk9oz5bw3p]

E

[@petarpavlovic3904]

William I

[@michaelwallner6559]

E

[@vantus727]

Death?

[@Chamait]

E

[@lasombra1469]

Henry after his brother mysteriously died and is now the new king: *"Oh no, anyways"*

[@thegamingrhino5864]

Nice tg reference

[@kutter_ttl6786]

Good News! It's the new king!

[@goodgenes0]

@@thegamingrhino5864 wgat is tg

[@Trash-bin-kicker]

@@goodgenes0 top gear

[@goodgenes0]

@@Trash-bin-kicker wgat is top bread???

[@benitomussolini7382]

The fact that Henry 1 left his brothers body in the forest pretty much guarantees his guilt.

[@crabsy6452]

And how he invaded normandy and imprisoned his older brother until he died in 1134

[@crusaderxavier]

I like how you left the war

[@partehbear2995]

The fact that the Italians left you and your wife’s body in the street pretty much guarantees their guilt

[@TheMoose126]

@@partehbear2995 actually, their bodies were hung upside down in the town's Church Bell tower, after they were shot and dragged through the streets first.

[@finnsreptiles9326]

@@TheMoose126 bro the exact same happened to me !

[@angusyang5917]

William II of England's hunting accident, the Jeffrey Epstein of the Middle Ages.

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

😄😄😄

[@ryangarcia985]

@@luisemoralesfalcon4716 50 seconds ago

[@demonprinces17]

They had alot of these, usually children

[@Marinealver]

Well, no one sad that William killed himself. It was just an "accident".

[@windunursetyadi]

Every hunting incident in the Middle Ages was the Epstein

[@jamezzz0035]

It’s probably an Assassin. Who ever they are, they must have- *Gets stabbed in the back*

[@Interdictiondeltawing]

DEAD BODY REPORTED

[@user_name_here4832]

Meet the spy

[@retrohoarder2447]

I knew it! All alοng it was *gets stabbed with a hidden blade*

[@miked0073]

@@Interdictiondeltawing that game literally went from 100 to 0 real quick 💀

[@Thejghostodst]

@@miked0073 ok

[@aleksandarvil5718]

William II Rufus: * dies in _'hunting accident'_ Henry I: Oh No! *ANYWAY!*

[@Marinealver]

Thiis is where George R. R. Martin get's his material.

[@ChaseMcCain81]

@@Marinealver, yep

[@gbendicion7052]

Medieval Total War says otherwise

[@ordinary_magician]

I really like the narrators’ voice, it fits with literally anything the channel talks about.

[@DyslexicMitochondria]

Ikr it's literally perfect. I have tried narrating my videos the way he does but I've ALWAYS failed. I'm still trying though haha

[@mattearenzi8972]

@@DyslexicMitochondria I like your voice too. It's kinda soothing

[@ChrisKane-]

@Magician Thanks mate! I love narrating for the channel. 😊

[@bukitcengkeh1]

@@ChrisKane- wait you're the narrator right?

[@ChrisKane-]

@@bukitcengkeh1 Yes I am. 🙂

[@mkosmala1309]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate that the peasants, who were likely Anglo-Saxons and probably had plenty reason to dislike the king, still did the decent thing and brought him to the church for a Christian burial?

[@matthewjay660]

I was thinking this too. ☝🏻It is a Beatitude to bury the dead.

[@duderitoz6953]

& to think that they risked being accused of killing him shows their integrity

[@TheFinnfluencer]

Respect to the peasants. Hopefully they had their taxes lowered or something

[@Ch4g-u5w]

@@TheFinnfluencer Demanding for lower tax? yea... there's a tax for that

[@JassZoigel]

@@duderitoz6953 treasoners, you say. No mlord wes found im

[@wrestlehard226america8]

If History channels were a candy shop, Simple History would be the home made good stuff at the front.

[@MrBullettuk]

And next yarn hub

[@Juliuscaesar0315]

Up there with history matters extra history and the arm hair historian

[@glockedie]

Same for Mark Felton

[@lasombra1469]

Historian youtubers fans unite

[@Juliuscaesar0315]

And yarnhub

[@kennethknoppik5408]

It was the deer that killed him. Look at those beady eyes at the end he totally killed him. The hunter becomes The Hunted hahaha

[@Kristoff10944]

no its henry the first aka walter

[@trevorslinkard31]

His last words were “Look! Henry has come to see us!”

[@bouchmakaveli5325]

A man of culture. KCD

[@ronin3381]

9:39 I think that deer is trying to tell us something.

[@cyan13]

Yea I turn on caption its say oh you

[@wattsnottaken1]

“They all just left the body where it fell and continued on their way.” Me: *That’s not suspicious at all*

[@darkadrien14]

Funny thing, William the conqueror viewed Normandy as the true jewel of his crown, (more peacefull, richer, better developped than england) which is why it was given to his eldest son Robert.

[@kishascape]

Also better food.

[@thenablade858]

@@kishascapeAt the time, people in France and England were eating pretty much the same. The nobility got the better food overall due to the fact that they could afford meat and other ‘luxury’ goods.

[@thenablade858]

No, he gave Normandy to Robert because he was persuaded to divide his dominions between his two oldest sons. At the time, he wanted to disinherit Robert because of his rebellious activities. Robert was an unsuccessful claimant to the English crown.

[@jjdc3273]

But the real question is, who killed captain Alex?

[@misfitcherries]

SUPA KICKA!

[@richardn2675]

TIGAR MAFIA!

[@Gadzo469]

Real question is. Why is captain Alex?

[@MrAlexkyra]

MAN THE MAN IS KILLING US MAN!

[@joj4096]

Europe

[@Karma_Miguel]

Oh boy, a train murder mystery, I’ve always wanted to go to one.

[@projectpuppy.3443]

@Rita - F**UĆК МЕ ! you tryna type something?

[@projectpuppy.3443]

B

[@projectpuppy.3443]

O

[@projectpuppy.3443]

T

[@brainywindow2816]

same :))

[@VladimirDemetrovIlyushin]

Damn, the animation has come a long way. It's pretty good.

[@thespanishinquisition8617]

“On a summer day deep in an English forest, Lay a man of noble birth, Dead on the ground. A single arrow had pierced his lung, And killed him.” Sounds like the opening to a ballad

[@aquaowls9925]

someone should tell 4-chan about this they could find it out

[@Happyfayce]

The great hacker 4chan

[@Andrew-ob5ij]

I am pretty sure he just tripped on those arrows, nothing suspicious there

[@kirillassasin]

“He shot an arrow that pierced my... well, rump. After such a memorable adventure, we knew we had the name for our shop”

[@eddiecowen2624]

Skyrim reference, nice

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

It was my father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.

[@CRob172]

And what does that make us?

[@micswiggim2914]

@@CRob172 ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

[@Commanderhurtz1]

@@micswiggim2914 Just like what you are about to become!

[@raptorfromthe6ix833]

pets goldfish former owners nfl coach's presidential canidate

[@CRob172]

@@micswiggim2914 if I could heart this I would. But unfortunately I’m surrounded by assholes 😂

[@Jynx_Splatoon]

Hunting accidents are the medieval equivalent of Mr Burns family with the poison potato

[@AlexMappingHD]

Next: Who Killed Captain Alex? (Murder Mystery)

[@squadie1]

Haha best cgi

[@mapnitician]

box office explosion

[@theyoinker4511]

👍

[@MrAlexkyra]

MAN THE MAN IS KILLING US MAN

[@soldierstudios7316]

Among Us has been around for longer then I thought

[@goooz3369]

when the imposter is sus

[@dillonmurray3212]

AMONG US🤣🤣🤣🤣SUS!🤣🤣🤣WHEN THE🤣IMPOSTOR IS SUS!🤣🤣🤣WHEN? WHERE? WHAT? SUS? SUS?🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Apenas_Um_Brasileiro]

@@dillonmurray3212 the funni

[@ChaseMcCain81]

Lol

[@lasombra1469]

So an excommunication is basically getting kicked after accused of being sus

[@davidcurtis2780]

It's hard to know. I think its either William the 1st as he was known for aggressive behaviors, and also the younger brother, as he wanted his inheritance, and so quickly.

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

In the case of William Rufus it is rumored that the jealous killer would've been a wife, not a husband.

[@silenthunteruk]

Like father, like son. William the Conqueror's corpse exploded at his funeral.

[@Khookies-lp2lu]

How?

[@brasilballs]

@@Khookies-lp2lu apparently due to extremely unfortunate circumstances it took a lot of time to get him to a suitable place for him to get buried so by the time it happened it was already in an advanced state of decay

[@mrtrollnator123]

@@brasilballs no I think its because he had a bloated stomach due to his unhealthy diet

[@brasilballs]

people nowadays would be exploding all the time then

[@nickplaysgames9665]

9:20 oi, i see you playing the circle game with us and you sir have got me

[@JangianTV]

Nice of Simple History TV to touch on a lesser known episode of English history. Good job guys!

[@davidmckab7527]

Nah it was probably the Vietnamese trees that killed him

[@vxnatus6039]

he was in England....

[@davidmckab7527]

@@vxnatus6039 I was joking

[@comradekenobi6908]

@@vxnatus6039 bruh you dense af

[@justvincent2083]

@@davidmckab7527 simp

[@davidmckab7527]

@@justvincent2083 I'm not a simp

[@metalpsyche82]

One of the best thing in YT is how Simple History's videos end. That silence and that freeze-frame have you meditate on what you've just watched.

[@micahistory]

last time I was this early, William II was still alive

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

It seems his friends hated him a lot.

[@claytonpactol8851]

@Rita - F**UĆК МЕ ! bot begone

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

@Tank tms bingo.

[@Dumpstermuffin1]

How strange were politics in that day that as soon as the king died the one inheriting the throne had to rush back to claim it

[@nazarderkach9320]

Yup, totally accidental.

[@danielricardo8544]

Lol, Henry was never meant to inherit it, he rushed back because Robert was on a crusade and Henry wanted to usurp power.

[@lukeredling3136]

This is literally what they based Robert Baratheon death on in game of thrones.

[@Helljumper556]

That's what I thought too!!

[@bryanjames7528]

William the Conquerer was fat in his later years just like how Robert became fat when he became king. Henry took off to b king just like Renly.

[@thenablade858]

@@bryanjames7528 Robert is very obviously Edward IV (Beautiful but unpopular blonde wife with ambitious family that achieves large amount of wealth and power because of her marriage, warrior king in youth but fat and drunk at death, son is illegitimate and both his brothers want the throne etc)

[@arsyadhaidar7010]

This is a good bedtime story

[@teakettle_timmy3922]

Please do a video about the Arditi!

[@why_mom8208]

Imagine him being your history teacher..

[@comradekenobi6908]

Wow so original

[@bigmoniesponge]

I think the spam replies are having a seizure.

[@64_Falcon]

9:25 Henry’s hand even in death 👌

[@madmarvshighwaywarrior2870]

More like ✌

[@Captain23rdGaming]

King william the second: I feel like going hunting today! Someone in the Hunting party: i took that personally!

[@youngmasterzhi]

Did you hear that? It sounds like the king getting shot!

[@MoskusMoskiferus1611]

Deer: Trying to Kill Me while There's Baratheon Member on Your Side ? William II: Wha...

[@justvincent2083]

I think England needs Sherlock Holmes when this thing happend. 🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️

[@CJ_1406]

Simple History: Who killed William II? Me: A man with a bow and arrow.

[@LamborghiniDiabloSVPursuit]

William II: Gentlemen, there is an Anglo spy among us, and worst of all, he could be one of us. And worst of all he is in this very hunting party. It could be you! It could be me! It could even be- *FWIP* Henry: Whoa, whoa whoa?! Robert: What? It was obvious! He's the anglo spy! Watch, he'll turn into a saxon any second now.....aaaaaany second now. Walter: So, we still have a problem. Robert: Alright, who wants to be next in line for succession? Henry: *Is now the new king of England*

[@mr.heisenberg6638]

Little did they know, it was Dio It all comes back to Jojo, children

[@comradekenobi6908]

HOLYYY SHEET

[@MuddieRain]

It was Colonel Mustard in the dining room with the candle stick

[@justvincent2083]

Hi everyone! 🤗 🤗 🤗

[@hiimryan2388]

Hi Vinnie

[@gordonbingeman1604]

That was a great video. Keep them coming especially on the middle ages. We know so little about that time and it is interesting learning about past history. As for the murder, Henry the 1st, probably paid someone to kill his brother or did it himself to be king. So sad and yet very common back then.

[@DoIwanttoknow]

William II was also known as King Rufus!! ( Rufus meaning red haired, because he had red hair ) and you can visit Rufus stone in the new forest in the south of England which is said to be the spot where he was killed. I have been there and it describes everything in this video.

[@bbd121]

As for now, this mystery would remain... UNSOLVED. *Creepy music fadeout*

[@priix08]

I would like you to do one of Queen Victoria, a very interesting queen

[@AudieHolland]

William II actually killed himself when his bow malfunctioned so it wasn't a suicide. The others just ran off, with Henry having a decent alibi that he had to get crowned asap while in truth they were all major shareholders in the company that was manufacturing that bow. They just wanted to dump their shares before the word got out the bows were no good.

[@pubgoncrack3178]

I miss the guy who voiced the Cuban missile crisis video. What happened to him

[@magnemerstrand2289]

I love how everyone just went home like Well I am gonna go be king now alright see ya next tuesday

[@randomperson5537]

Murder gangsta unitil sheriff arrived wait it's not MM2 Roblox?

[@arandomcommenter0135]

It was the Spanish Inquisition! No one expected them,so that’s why they have not been suggested

[@marvelgeek9577]

William II: *dies Henry: Oh no! Anyway...

[@zol4996]

Happy saint patricks day simple history ;)

[@Marinealver]

and they used the bloody English throne for today's segment.

[@supamario1030]

Who else remembers when this channel had 1 or 2 ads at most now theres 2 in the beginning and 5 in a 10 min vid that makes the channel almost unwatchable which is sad cause i really liked it.

[@Marinealver]

That's KZbin throwing in an AdBlitz for Spring Break. I am already certain that Google has demonetized this video and is giving Simple History nothing.

[@supamario1030]

@@Marinealver that would suck

[@Baelor-Breakspear]

If you look up William the second on Wikipedia they show you a picture drawn while he was alive. That picture is insane how closely it looks like him. Like I don’t know for a fact that’s exactly how he looked but if somebody was going to draw in great detail like that I’m sure that’s exactly how he looked. It’s incredible check it out.

[@dragoonTT]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@asphaltape]

history: "unsolved murder" also history: "so the king was hunting with his resentful brother..."

[@nuclearoven9792]

Somebody should make a fps game with simple history artstyle

[@Suggestion101]

That would be cool

[@dynastieV5]

Plot twist? he accidentally killed himself with his bow aimed at the wronged direction.

[@toasatoshi]

the last theory does have one point in its favor: it explains why his brother was so hasty to flee, as it would have been of higher importance to escape before meeting the same fate.

[@wood7206]

I hate being the correction guy but Robert was the eldest (born 1051) and Richard was the second son (born 1054). Other that that great video.

[@Peter..Griffin]

I know who offed him but im no snitch

[@dickdastardly635]

" Rufus the Red" , son of William the Conqueror, they do not teach things like this in English schools anymore. Well done to you Sir for posting this .

[@saec-ford6538]

I've always believed Henry was behind it. He was known to be ambitious, but being the youngest of four sons, was often overlooked. When William I died, Robert got Normandy, William got England, and Henry got £5000. Henry wasn't going to be content with that; it wasn't in his nature. So, given Henry's ambition, his contentious relationship with his brother, and the dislike for William II in general... yeah. His death of a hunting "accident" was far too convenient and well-timed to truly be an accident.

[@butterkan3584]

POV: Your Looking for a Random Nine year old in the Comments saying: OMG FIRST?!?!?!?!?!?

[@brokenmonitertheonly]

POV: already found one

[@petterssonigolvet391]

OMG FIRST?!?!?!?!?!?

[@butterkan3584]

@@petterssonigolvet391 yes

[@petterssonigolvet391]

@@butterkan3584 yes

[@butterkan3584]

@@petterssonigolvet391 if im being real i commented first way back in 2013

[@AKAZA-kq8jd]

It's a mystery but later a disaster for house Normandy.

[@yecathy8525]

This channel teaches you more than you learn in school

[@ObligedUniform]

Alright you got me. I did it!

[@kennymccormick8906]

Sus

[@pohjantuulet247]

9:20 Damn, he managed to play us beyond the grave.

[@wontap1667]

Views: 4 Comments:10 KZbin is drunk.

[@redzed9405]

i saw 78 comment

[@redzed9405]

4 views

[@fuso-yamashiro-harunabattl7015]

Always has been

[@alexwattaul7237]

A time traveling assassin traveled through time to kill him to prevent British Hitler from being born by ending his bloodline from the start preventing WW3.

[@GMKGoji01]

William II: I think it was- Anyone who may have shot William for various reasons: Shh! You are ded! William II: Okay.

[@ChaseMcCain81]

Lol

[@humblelad]

It wasn’t breaking with tradition to overpass the eldest son in succession, that’s a later tradition. The Anglo-Saxons didn’t have a strict primogeniture.

[@thenablade858]

Neither did the Normans. He was bypassed because of rebellious activity. William was persuaded to divide his dominions instead of disinheriting him, to avoid further conflict between the brothers.

[@latek2095]

First thanks for making my day!

[@TerrierMartello]

Nein

[@kitadrian2115]

Not only is this a history channel, but it is also a detective channel

[@_Abjuranax_]

At least they didn't kill Bambie's Mother, lol.

[@chickenstripper1546]

The stag at the end reminds me of high honor in rdr2

[@davidandsarahking2783]

i legitimately thought simple history misspelled william tell.

[@Niptonian9551]

if I was a noble, I would probably just avoid hunting.

[@MrGray-dx8sw]

It goes to show through history family will cause more harm than enemies will when it comes to the crown and Kings.

[@aleksandarvil5718]

William II Rufus = King Robert Baratheon of Real-Life History

[@theawesomeman1125]

They are sussy! 😳😳😳😳

[@thatanoynomousdude8082]

Me before watching the video: wait someone murdered KAISER!?

[@Addo666]

4 people watched this but there is 93 comments

[@OrdinaryLatvian]

What's the deal with the deer at the end? A minute straight of silent staring.

[@JackAkaJCK]

Oh this willhelm 2 I first thought this video is about the Kaiser of Germany Btw : who killed the German willhelm 2?

[@shubharthidutta979]

No one He died of natural causes in 1941 in German occupied Netherlands

[@JackAkaJCK]

@@shubharthidutta979 oh nice that I now know this thx guy

[@Fireheartz2508]

It is definitely aliens testing out their new bow.

[@NTLbeats]

10/10

[@insertcreativenamehere5473]

9:19 look at his hand

[@BarackObama-qh3jz]

I did it.

[@ssso3201]

:O plot twist

[@JC839]

9:32 William II playing the circle game even in death

[@JRCOBRA]

Not suspect at all. To leave a king' s body is normal.

[@msi_alessandro6907]

I love history and I tell me teacher all of these facts

[@britishsoldier1585]

yeet

[@bobholly3843]

After watching Forensic Files for years, it's usually the one who stands to profit the most. Either they commit the crime directly, or get someone else who doesn't like the victim to do it for them.