Godfrey of Bouillion Biography

Birth of Godfrey of Bouillion, the second son of Eustace II, Count of Boulogne-sur-Mer, and Ida, daughter of the Lotharingian duke Godfrey the Bearded by his first wife, Doda

Created Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname

Succeeds as Duke of France, granted by Emperor Henry IV for services in the Saxon war

Created Duke of Lower Lorraine

Urban II, the new Pope, called for a Crusade to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim forces and also to aid the Byzantine Empire which was under Muslim attack. Godfrey took out loans on most of his lands, or sold them, to the bishop of Liege and the bishop of Verdun. With this money he gathered thousands of knights to fight in the Holy Land

Leads an army which joins 30,000 crusaders at Constantinople

Alexius I had made a separate peace with the Turks and now claimed the city for the Byzantine Empire.

Godfrey and his knights of Lorraine played a minor role in the siege of Nicaea, with Bohemond successfully commanding much of the action.

Just as the Crusaders were about to storm the city, they suddenly noticed the Byzantine flag flying from atop the city walls.

These secret dealings were a sign of things to come in terms of relations between Crusaders and Byzantines.

Helped to relieve the vanguard at the Battle of Dorylaeum after it had been pinned down by the Seljuk Turks under Kilij Arslan I, with the help of the other crusader princes in the main force and went on to sack the Seljuk camp

Godfrey takes part in the capture of Antioch. When the Crusaders finally took the city, they decided that their oaths to Alexius had been breached and were no longer in effect. Bohemond, the first to enter the city gates, claimed the prize for himself. A Muslim force under Kerbogha, from the city of Mosul, arrived and battled the Crusaders, but the Christians finally defeated these Islamic troops

Godfrey takes part in the capture of Antioch. When the Crusaders finally took the city, they decided that their oaths to Alexius had been breached and were no longer in effect. Bohemond, the first to enter the city gates, claimed the prize for himself. A Muslim force under Kerbogha, from the city of Mosul, arrived and battled the Crusaders, but the Christians finally defeated these Islamic troops

Godfrey continued to play a minor but important role in the battles against the Muslims until the Crusaders finally reached Jerusalem in 1099

The Kingdom of Jerusalem is founded by the Norman, Godfrey of Bouillon

Jerusalem remains in Christian hands for 88 yeas

Jerusalem falls, Godfrey becomes its guardian & then self-appointed King

Succeeds as King of Jerusalem

Once the city was returned to Christian rule, some form of Government had to be set up. On July 22, a council was held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Raymond of Toulouse refused to become king. Godfrey did no damage to his own piety by accepting the position, but only as secular leader, and not as King

Once the city was returned to Christian rule, some form of Government had to be set up. On July 22, a council was held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Raymond of Toulouse refused to become king. Godfrey did no damage to his own piety by accepting the position, but only as secular leader, and not as King

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 force Acre, Ascalon, Arsuf, Jaffa, and Caesarea to become tributaries

Death of Godfrey of Bouillion

Ends Muslim resistance to to Christian occupation of the Holy Land

Ends Muslim resistance to to Christian occupation of the Holy Land. 50,000 Egyptians under al-Adfal are defeated by 10,000 under Godfrey de Bouillon

Captures Ascsalon from the Saracens, Muslim resistance in the Holy Land ends

Captures Ascsalon from the Saracens, Muslim resistance in the Holy Land ends