Death
Melis Stoke, a scribe to William's son Floris V of Holland, wrote about William's death that, in battle near Hoogwoud on 28 January 1256, William tried to traverse a frozen lake (by himself, because he was lost), but his horse fell through the ice. In this vulnerable position, William was killed by the Frisians, who secretly buried him under the floor of a house. His body was forcefully recovered 26 years later by his son Floris V, who was only 2 years old when he succeeded his father. William was then buried in Middelburg. Independent chronicles confirm his death at that time, by failing to jump over a muddy water way during a skirmish. Much of Stoke's writing may have been to justify his employer's deeds and his claim on current-day West Frisia, so that the details of the mishap and subsequent events could be largely legendary.
Read more about this topic: William II Of Holland
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