Along with his brothersEustace III andBaldwin of Boulogne, Godfrey joined the First Crusade in 1096. He took part in actions atNicaea,Dorylaeum, andAntioch, before playing a key role during thecapture of Jerusalem in 1099. WhenRaymond IV, Count of Toulouse declined the offer to become ruler of the new kingdom, Godfrey accepted the role and secured his kingdom by defeating theFatimids atAscalon a month later, bringing the First Crusade to an end. He died in July 1100 and was succeeded by his brother Baldwin asKing of Jerusalem.
Godfrey most likely started his military training before the age of ten, learning how to ride a horse and use a sword, shield, lance, and crossbow while mounted.[4] His mother, Ida, was an educated woman who strongly influenced the upbringing of her sons.[8] When his uncle, Godfrey the Hunchback, died in February[11] of 1076 without issue, he designated his nephew as his heir.[12][13][14] The younger Godfrey presumably had a bond with his uncle before this, and the contemporary chronicle of St Hubert[c] suggests that he attended his uncle's burial inVerdun.[15] Godfrey then spent several weeks at the monastery of St Hubert in the company and protection of his kinsman,Henry of Verdun, bishop of Liège.[16][17]Lampert of Hersfeld records that at this time, Godfrey was "an energetic young man, very eager for military action".[12]
Godfrey's inheritance was challenged by several claimants in the years following his uncle's death.[11][14]Henry IV, the futureHoly Roman Emperor—wishing to strengthen his position—appointed his two-year-old son,Conrad, as the Duke of Lower Lorraine instead of Godfrey. Godfrey was given theMargraviate of Antwerp, a position held by his predecessors,[18] and his appointment to this title implied that Henry was keeping him in mind for the future.[19][20] Conrad's title was merely symbolic; Henry installedAlbert III of Namur, a loyal supporter of his, to rule the duchy as 'vice-duke'.[21]
In 1081-2, Godfrey entered a conflict with CountTheoderic of Veluwe, whom he captured and imprisoned in Bouillon Castle. Since Theoderic had a close relationship with Henry IV, Godfrey ordered that the former be treated well, but the count died after six months in captivity.[26][27] Theoderic's death enabled Godfrey to extend his influence around Bouillon. In 1082, Godfrey entered another conflict with Albert of Namur, who wished to restoreMirwart Castle and use it to wage war against Godfrey. Henry of Verdun—who "favoured Godfrey in all ways"—purchased the castle in order to prevent this[27] and transferred it to St Hubert.[26]
Godfrey supported Henry even during his struggle withPope Gregory VII during theInvestiture Controversy. Godfrey fought alongside Henry and his forces againstRudolf of Swabia and in Italy when Henry capturedRome itself. A major test of Godfrey's leadership skills was shown in his battles to defend his inheritance against a significant array of enemies. In 1076, he had succeeded as designated heir to the Lotharingian lands of his uncle, Godfrey the Hunchback, and Godfrey was struggling to maintain control over the lands that Henry IV had not taken away from him. Claims were raised by his aunt MargravineMatilda of Tuscany, cousin Count Albert III of Namur, and Count Theoderic of Veluwe. This coalition was joined by Bishop Theoderic of Verdun, and two minor counts attempting to share in the spoils,Waleran I of Limburg andArnold I of Chiny.
As these enemies tried to take away portions of his land, Godfrey's brothers, Eustace and Baldwin, both came to his aid. Following these long struggles and proving that he was a loyal vassal to Henry IV, Godfrey finally gained Lower Lorraine in 1087.
In 1095,Pope Urban II called for military action in order to liberateJerusalem and aid theByzantine Empire, which in the years since1071 had lost large swathes of territory to theSeljuk Empire. Godfrey either sold or mortgaged most of his estates to the bishops ofLiège andVerdun and used the money to recruit anarmy of Crusaders. He was joined by his older brother, Eustace, and his younger brother, Baldwin, who had no lands in Europe and was seeking them in theHoly Land. Others did the same, the largest being that raised byRaymond IV, Count of Toulouse, who at 55 was the oldest and most experienced of the Crusader nobles. As a result, he expected to lead the expedition, a claim boosted by the presence ofAdhemar of Le Puy, thepapal legate who travelled with him. Significant forces also accompaniedBohemond of Taranto, aNorman knight from southern Italy, andRobert II, Count of Flanders.[29]
Godfrey with his brothersEustace andBaldwin meeting with Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos
Following advice provided by Pope Urban, most of these armies set out in mid-summer and headed forConstantinople where they could expect assistance from EmperorAlexios I Komnenos.[30] Each travelled separately, since it was impossible for one region to feed and supply such large numbers on their own; the first to leave in spring 1096 was what became known as thePeople's Crusade, an army of 20,000 low ranking knights and peasants which journeyed through theRhineland, then headed forHungary.[31] Most of those from southern and northern France sailed fromBrindisi across theAdriatic Sea, while Godfrey and his two brothers, leading an army from Lorraine reportedly 40,000 strong, set out in August 1096 following the route taken by the People's Crusade.[32]
Pope Urban II's call for the crusade spurred a wave of violence against Jews across Europe, beginning withRouen in December 1095. In the spring and early summer of 1096, members of the People's Crusade plundered and massacred Jewish communities during theRhineland massacres.[33]
After the People's Crusade entered Hungary in June, a series of incidents had culminated in a full-scale battle with their hosts and the deaths of over 10,000 Crusaders; as a result, when Godfrey and his troops approached the border in September, it took several days of negotiations before they were allowed in.[34] He finally reached Constantinople in November, shortly after those led byHugh of Vermandois while others arrived over the next few months. Unlike the limited numbers he had anticipated, by May 1097, Alexios found himself with over 4,000 to 8,000 mounted knights and 25,000 to 55,000 infantry camped on his doorstep. This mattered because the two sides had different goals; Alexios simply wanted help in retaking Byzantine lands lost to theSeljuk Turks, while the Crusaders sought to liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims. When Alexios demanded an oath of loyalty, Godfrey and most of the Crusaders agreed to a modified version in which they promised to restore some lands to the Emperor, Raymond of Toulouse being a notable exception: he would just promise to do the Emperor no harm.[35]
In February 1097, Godfrey and his army crossed theBosporus Straits, where he was joined by Bohemund, Robert of Flanders and Hugh of Vermandois.[36] Accompanied by Byzantine soldiers, in early May the Crusaders investedNicaea, a city close to Constantinople captured by the Turks in 1085. Godfrey and his troops played a minor role, with Bohemond successfully commanding much of the action but as the Crusaders were about to storm the city, they noticed the Byzantine flag flying from the top of the walls. Wanting to minimise damage to what was an important Byzantine city and suspecting the Crusaders would demand a heavy ransom for handing it over, Alexios had made a separate peace with the Turkish garrison. Although the majority of the Crusader leaders accepted Alexios' right to do so, it was an illustration of the level of mutual suspicion between the two sides.[37]
Godfrey continued to play a minor, yet significant, role in the battles against the Seljuks until the Crusaders finally reached Jerusalem in 1099. AtDorylaeum in July 1097, he helped relieve the vanguard atDorylaeum which had been pinned down by a Turkish force underKilij Arslan I, then sacked their camp. After this battle and during the trek through Asia Minor, some sources suggest that Godfrey was attacked by a bear and received a serious wound which incapacitated him for a time.[38]
Godfrey also took part in theSiege of Antioch, which began in October 1097 and did not surrender until June 1098 after long and bitter fighting. During the winter, the crusading army came close to starvation and many returned to Europe, while Alexios assumed all was lost at Antioch and failed to provide them with supplies as promised. When the city finally fell, Bohemond claimed it for himself and refused to hand it over to the Emperor citing the Emperor's failure to help the crusaders at Antioch as breaking the oath; after repulsing a Muslim force fromMosul led byKerbogha, Antioch was secured.
After this victory, the Crusaders were divided over their next course of action. The bishop of Le Puy had died at Antioch. Bohemond decided to remain behind in order to secure his new principality; and Godfrey's younger brother, Baldwin, also decided to stay in the north in the Crusader state he had established atEdessa. Most of the foot soldiers wanted to continue south to Jerusalem, but Raymond IV of Toulouse—who was by then the most powerful of the princes, having taken others into his employ, such asTancred—hesitated to continue the march. After months of waiting, the common people on the crusade forced Raymond to march on to Jerusalem, and Godfrey quickly joined him. As they travelled south into Palestine, in place of the Seljuk Turks, the Crusaders instead encountered the armies of theFatimids, who had taken Jerusalem in August 1098.
Thesiege of Jerusalem began when the Crusader army reached the city in June 1099 and built a wooden siege tower (from lumber provided by some Italian sailors who intentionally scrapped their ships) to get over the walls. The major attack took place on 14 and 15 July 1099. Godfrey and some of his knights were the first to take the walls and enter the city. After three years of fighting, the Crusaders' victory marked the consummation of their main goals—to recapture the Holy Land and, in particular, the city of Jerusalem and its holy sites, such as theHoly Sepulchre. Godfrey endowed the hospital in theMuristan after the First Crusade.
Godfrey of Bouillon being created the Lord of the city. From theHistoire d'Outremer byWilliam of Tyre, detail of an historiated initialS, in aBritish Library Manuscript in the Yates Thompson Collection (No. 12, fol. 46), 13th century.
Once the city was returned to Christian rule, some form of government had to be set up. On 22 July 1099, a council was held in theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre and after Raymond of Toulouse had refused the crown, Godfrey agreed to become ruler.[39] However, he preferred the titleAdvocate of the Holy Sepulchre to that of king, allegedly refusing to "wear a crown of gold where his Saviour had worn acrown of thorns.[40] Both the meaning and usage of his title is disputed.[3] Some of theoriginal chroniclers used the more ambiguous termprinceps, or his previous rank of duke. Later chroniclers who did not participate in the First Crusade suggest he took the title ofrex, "king".[41][42][43]
During his short reign, Godfrey had to defend the new kingdom against theFatimids ofEgypt, who were defeated at theBattle of Ascalon in August. He also faced opposition fromDagobert of Pisa, theLatin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was allied with Tancred. Although the Latins came close to capturing Ascalon, Godfrey's attempts to prevent Raymond of St. Gilles from securing the city for himself meant that the town remained in Muslim hands, destined to be a thorn in the new kingdom's side for years to come.
In 1100, Godfrey was unable to directly expand his new territories through conquest. However, his impressive victory in 1099 and his subsequent campaigning in 1100 meant that he was able to forceAcre,Ascalon,Arsuf,Jaffa, andCaesarea to become tributaries. Meanwhile, the struggle with Dagobert continued, although the terms of the conflict are difficult to trace. Dagobert may well have envisaged turning Jerusalem into afiefdom of thepope, but his full intentions are not clear. Much of the evidence for this comes fromWilliam of Tyre, whose account of these events is troublesome; it is only William who tells us that Dagobert forced Godfrey to concede Jerusalem and Jaffa, while other writers such asAlbert of Aachen andRalph of Caen suggest that both Dagobert and his ally Tancred had sworn an oath to Godfrey to accept only one of his brothers or blood relations as his successor. Whatever Dagobert's schemes, they were destined to come to naught. Being at Haifa at the time of Godfrey's death, he could do nothing to stop Godfrey's supporters, led byWarner of Grez, from seizing Jerusalem and demanding that Godfrey's brother Baldwin should succeed to the rule. Dagobert was subsequently forced to crown Baldwin as the first Latin king of Jerusalem on 25 December 1100.
The Arab chroniclerIbn al-Qalanisi reported that "In this year [1099], Godfrey, lord of Jerusalem, appeared before the fortified port of 'Akkā [Acre] and made an assault upon it, but was struck by an arrow, which killed him".[44] While this claim is repeated in other Muslim sources, it does not appear in Christian chronicles;Albert of Aix andEkkehard of Aura suggest Godfrey fell ill while visitingCaesarea in June 1100 and died in Jerusalem on 18 July.[45]
Suggestions he was poisoned are unlikely and it is more probable he died from a disease similar totyphoid. Godfrey never married.[d]
According toWilliam of Tyre, the later 12th-century chronicler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Godfrey was "tall of stature, not extremely so, but still taller than the average man. He was strong beyond compare, with solidly-built limbs and a stalwart chest. His features were pleasing, his beard and hair of medium blond."
As the first ruler of theKingdom of Jerusalem and one of those who had taken part in its capture, Godfrey was idealized in later accounts. He was depicted as the military leader of the crusade, a legislator who established theassizes of Jerusalem, and in the early 14th century was selected as one of theNine Worthies, a pantheon of famous warriors thought to epitomise chivalric ideals.[47] In reality, Godfrey was only one of several leaders of the crusade, which also includedRaymond IV of Toulouse,Bohemond of Taranto,Robert of Flanders,Stephen of Blois andBaldwin of Boulogne to name a few, along with papal legateAdhemar of Montiel, Bishop of Le Puy.Baldwin I of Jerusalem, Godfrey's younger brother, became the first titled king when he succeeded Godfrey in 1100. The assizes were the result of a gradual development.
By William of Tyre's time later in the 12th century, Godfrey was already a legend among the descendants of the original crusaders. Godfrey was believed to have possessed immense physical strength; it was said that inCilicia he wrestled a bear and won, and that he once beheaded a camel with one blow of his sword.
Equestrian statue of Godfrey of Bouillon in Brussels
In theParadiso segment of hisDivine Comedy,Dante Alighieri sees the spirit of Godfrey, together withRoland's, in the Heaven of Mars with the other "warriors of the faith".
Pierre Desrey'sGenealogie de Godefroi de Buillon, completed in 1499, gives a complete history of theCrusades, starting with the birth of theChevalier au Cygne (Knight of the Swan), the ancestor of Godfrey, and ending after the accession ofPhilip IV of France (1268–1314). At least six editions are preserved from the 16th century, published between 1504 and 1580.[49][50]
A Spanish play entitled "La conquista de Jerusalén por Godofre de Bullón" was written in the mid-1580s and known to have been performed in 1586. The play was discovered in the late 1980s by Stefano Arata. It is attributed to and is now widely accepted to have been written byMiguel de Cervantes. It is an adaptation of Tasso's poem and features Godfrey as an ideal of Christian kingship, possibly as a critical parallel to KingPhilip II of Spain (1556–98).
Godfrey also plays key roles in the following novels:
The Blue Gonfalon by Margaret Ann Hubbard, which follows Godfrey and his men on their journey to the Holy Land. It is told through the eyes of Bennet, Godfrey's squire.
^The genealogy of the counts of Boulogne does not specify the ages of Eustace's sons, but the order in which they were listed was presumably the birth order:Eustace, then Godfrey, thenBaldwin.[4]
^Marjorie Chibnall (Select Documents of the English Lands of the Abbey of Bec, Camden (3rd Ser.) 73 (1951) pp. 25–26) followed earlier writers in suggesting that since the names Godfrey and Geoffrey shared a common origin, Godfrey is identical to the Geoffrey of Boulogne who appears in English records, marrying Beatrice, daughter ofGeoffrey de Mandeville and that he left behind in England a son, William de Boulogne (adult by 1106, died c. 1169). However, Alan Murray analyzed the argument in detail and concluded that contemporary documents clearly distinguish between the two names, and as there is no evidence for their identity and traditions of the Crusade indicate Godfrey was unmarried and childless, the two must be considered to have been distinct. Geoffrey, the English landholder, was apparently an illegitimate brother of Godfrey, the Crusader.[46]
^Ibrahim, Raymond (2022). "Duke Godfrey: Defender of Christ's Sepulchre".Defenders of the West.New York: Bombardier Books. p. 48.ISBN9781642938203.God forbid", said he, "that I should be crowned with a crown of gold, where my Saviour bore a crown of thorns.
^"The tomb of Godfrey was destroyed in 1808, but at that time a large sword, said to have been his, was still shown." L. Bréhier, "Godfrey of Bouillon" inThe Catholic Encyclopedia (1909).
^Natasha Hodgson 'Lions, Tigers and Bears: encounters with wild animals and bestial imagery in the context of crusading to the Latin East'Viator (2013)
Andressohn, John Carl (1947).The Ancestry and Life of Godfrey of Bouillon. Indiana University publications. Social science series, no.5. Indiana University Publications, Social Science Series 5.
Barker, Ernest (1911). "Godfrey of Bouillon". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica.12. (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 172–173.
Bréhier, Louis René (1909). "Godfrey of Bouillon". InCatholic Encyclopedia.6. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Edgington, Susan B. (2019).Baldwin I of Jerusalem, 1100-1118. Routledge.ISBN978-1-4724-3356-5.
Eidelberg, Schlomo (1996).The Jews and the Crusaders: The Hebrew Chronicles of the First and Second Crusades. KTAV Publishing House, Inc.ISBN978-0-88125-541-6.
France, John (1983). "The Election and Title of Godfrey de Bouillon".Canadian Journal of History.18 (3):321–329.doi:10.3138/cjh.18.3.321.
"Godfrey of Bouillon".Internet Medieval Sourcebook: The Crusaders at Constantinople: Collected Accounts. Retrieved2014-05-18.
Golb, Norman (1998).The Jews in Medieval Normandy: A Social and Intellectual History. Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-58032-8.
John, Simon (2022). "The Long shadow of the First Crusade".History Today.72 (5):72–83.
Murray, Alan (1990). "The Title of Godfrey of Bouillon as Ruler of Jerusalem".Collegium Medievale.3:163–178.
Murray, Alan (2000).The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: A Dynastic History 1099–1125. Unit for Prosopographical Research, Linacre College.ISBN978-1900934039.
Riley-Smith, Jonathan (1979). "The Title of Godfrey of Bouillon".Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research.52 (125):83–86.doi:10.1111/j.1468-2281.1979.tb02085.x.
Rubenstein, Jay (2008). Gabriele, Matthew; Stuckey, Jace (eds.).How Carolingian Kingship Trumped Millenniarism at the End of the First Crusade in 'The legend of Charlemagne in the Middle Ages: power, faith, and crusade'. Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN978-0-230-61544-1.
Albert of Aachen (fl. 1100),Historia Ierosolimitana, History of the Journey to Jerusalem, ed. and tr. Susan B. Edgington. Oxford: Oxford Medieval Texts, 2007. The principal source for Godfrey's march to Jerusalem.
Gesta Francorum, ed. and tr. Rosalind Hill,Gesta Francorum et aliorum Hierosolimitanorum. Oxford, 1967.
Ralph of Caen,Gesta Tancredi, ed. Bernard S. Bachrach and David S. Bachrach,The Gesta Tancredi of Ralph of Caen: A History of the Normans on the First Crusade. Ashgate Publishing, 2005.
Fulcher of Chartres, Chronicle, ed. Harold S. Fink and tr. Francis Rita Ryan,Fulcher of Chartres, A History of the Expedition to Jerusalem, 1095–1127. Knoxville: Univ. of Tennessy Press, 1969.
Ekkehard of Aura (d. 1126), tr. W. Pflüger,Die Chronik des Ekkehard von Aura. Leipzig, 1893.
William of Tyre (d. 1186),Historia, ed. R. B. C. Huygens,Willemi Tyrensis Archiepiscopi Chronicon. Corpus Christianorum Continuatio Medievalis 38. Turnholt: Brepols, 1986; tr. E. A. Babcock and A. C. Krey,William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. Columbia University Press, 1943.
Comnena, Anna (1928).Alexiad. Medieval Sourcebook. Translated by Elizabeth S. Dawes. Fordham University.
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