Godfrey of Bouillon

Biography

Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lower Lorraine, was one of the principal leaders of the First Crusade and became, after its triumph, the first Latin ruler of Jerusalem. He sold and mortgaged his lands to finance his expedition and led his contingent through the whole grueling march, fighting at Antioch and in the final storming of Jerusalem in July 1099, where he was among the first over the walls. When the crusaders chose a ruler for the conquered city, Godfrey accepted — but, by famous tradition, refused to be called 'King' in the city where Christ had worn the crown of thorns, taking instead the humble title 'Advocate of the Holy Sepulchre.' He defended the infant kingdom against a Fatimid counterattack at Ascalon but died little more than a year later, in 1100. Idealized by later generations as the perfect Christian knight, he became one of the 'Nine Worthies' of medieval legend.

Key Battles