Bizarre Facts About Every English Monarch
The Line Of Succession
Did you know that King Charles III is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror? That’s right, the lineage of the British royal family goes back nearly 1,000 years, all the way back to 1066. As you can imagine, this line of rulers has been involved their fair share of bizarre occurrences—so let’s go back to the beginning and look at the weirdest parts of each monarch’s reign.
William I
In his final years, William I—AKA William the Conqueror—was not in good health. The once-strapping ruler ballooned to massive proportions. One day, his horse reared up in battle, slamming his gut against the pommel of his saddle and rupturing his intestines.
William spent the next several days in agony before finally succumbing to his injuries—but somehow, the most horrific part was yet to come.
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William I’s Funeral
Many came to pay respects at William the Conqueror's funeral—but no one expected the gruesome scene that played out. Unfortunately, his bloated remains wouldn't fit in the stone tomb his attendants had built for him. The priests tried to simply stuff him inside, and they regretted it almost instantly.
His abdomen burst, sending putrid guts everywhere. The stench was so terrible, mourners fled the church in horror.
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William II
People thought William I was bad, but his son William II took cruelty to the next level. In August 1100, William left his castle to go on a hunting trip. Little did he know, he was riding into his darkest day. Sometime during the trip, a stray arrow struck William in the chest. Accidents happen—but his companions’ reaction was brutal.
William II’s Dark End
Whether out of fear or disdain, King William II’s “friends” fled, leaving him to die alone in England's New Forest. Most people believe that the deadly arrow was an accident, but some historians believe it was an assassination by his political enemies.
