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Why did King Henry I recall St. Anselm of Canterbury to England after William II Rufus died?
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St. Anselm of Canterbury
St. Anselm of Canterbury (center), terra-cotta altarpiece by Luca della Robbia; in the Museo Diocesano, Empoli, Italy.
After William II Rufus died in a hunting accident in 1100, his brother Henry I seized the English throne. To solidify his position and gain necessary ecclesiastical support for his reign, Henry I sought and secured the backing of St. Anselm of Canterbury, who subsequently returned to England.1