Army of Godfrey of Bouillon

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The army of Godfrey of Bouillon, the duke of Lower Lorraine, in response to the call by Pope Urban II to both liberate Jerusalem from Muslim forces and protect the Byzantine Empire from similar attacks. Godfrey and his army, [1] one of several Frankish forces deployed during the First Crusade, was among the first to arrive in Constantinople. [2] The army was unique in that it included among its warriors the first three kings of Jerusalem, although Godfrey preferred the title Defender of the Holy Sepulchre, Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri, as he believed that the true King of Jerusalem was Christ. This article focuses on the members of the army rather that its exploits which are described in detail in Godfrey’s biography as well as numerous sources listed below. [3]

Contents

Family and Household of Godfrey

The family and household of Godfrey include the following. Note that Godfrey’s older brother Eustace III, Count of Boulogne, may have accompanied his brother but more likely traveled with Robert Curthose’s army.

Lords of Lower Lotharingia

The lords from the areas of Lower Lotharingia that were adjacent to Godfrey’s lands included the following:

Lords of Upper Lotharingia

A third element of the exercitus of Godfrey were from Upper Lotharingia.

Other Lesser Known Participants

Very little is known about the following participants in the army. Lords and nobles accompanying Godfrey:

The following knights also were in the army:

The following also accompanied Godfrey although their role is not known:

Nobles who chose not to Participate

For a variety of reasons, primarily political, several notable lords and counts chose not to join, either personally or via family, in Godfrey’s army. These included:

Major Battles of the Army

After some difficulties in Hungary, the army of Godfrey engaged in the following major battles:

After the capture of Jerusalem, Raymond of Toulouse refused the crown, and Godfrey became ruler of Jerusalem, known only as Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri.

Sources

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse</span> Count of Tripoli

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Baldwin II, also known as Baldwin of Bourcq or Bourg, was Count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and King of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. He accompanied his cousins Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin of Boulogne to the Holy Land during the First Crusade. He succeeded Baldwin of Boulogne as the second count of Edessa when he left the county for Jerusalem following his brother's death. He was captured at the Battle of Harran in 1104. He was held first by Sökmen of Mardin, then by Jikirmish of Mosul, and finally by Jawali Saqawa. During his captivity, Tancred, the Crusader ruler of the Principality of Antioch, and Tancred's cousin, Richard of Salerno, governed Edessa as Baldwin's regents.

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Robert II, Count of Flanders was Count of Flanders from 1093 to 1111. He became known as Robert of Jerusalem or Robert the Crusader after his exploits in the First Crusade.

Baldwin II (1056–1098?) was count of Hainaut from 1071 to his death. He was an unsuccessful claimant to the County of Flanders. He disappeared in Anatolia during the First Crusade.

Warner of Grez Count of Grez, was a French nobleman from Grez-Doiceau, currently in Walloon Brabant in Belgium. He was one of the participants in the army of Godfrey of Bouillon of the First Crusade, and died in Jerusalem a year after the crusade ended. His brother Henry is also listed as a Count of Grez and accompanied Warner on the First Crusade.

Arnold I, Count of Chiny, son of Louis II, Count of Chiny, and his wife Sophie. He succeeded his father as count before 1066.

The Counts of Montaigu were 12th century nobles of Lower Lotharingia who were closely associated with the Counts of Duras and Clermont. This particular place called Montaigu was a castle located on the river Ourthe, opposite Marcourt near La Roche in the Ardennes. The castle of Montaigu has been mostly destroyed, but a chapel dedicated to Saint Thibaut still exists upon the mountain on which it was built.

Conon was a Lotharingian nobleman and military leader of the First Crusade. He was one of the most prominent lords of the Ardennes, being the count of Montaigu, lord of Rochefort and advocate (defender) of the city of Dinant from 1064. He was also one of the most important vassals of the bishop of Liège, holding the county of Huy from the church. His chief seat was the castle of Montaigu, while the castle at Huy was the redoubt of the bishops.

Gozelo II, presumed Count of Montaigu, son of Conon, Count of Montaigu, and Ida of Boulogne, sister of Godfrey, first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. As the eldest son of Conon, it is assumed that he became the count upon his father’s death in 1096.

Lambert, Count of Montaigu and Clermont, son of Conon, Count of Montaigu. Lambert was also Seigneur de Rochefort, Advocate of Dinant, and Advocate of Saint-Symphorien-des-Bois.

Giselbert(Gilbert), once Count of Clermont, son of Widrich II, who in turn was son of Widrich I, the first Count of Clermont, and his wife Hersende, ex-wife of Hildrad (Hezelin), Count of fr:Grandpré. Giselbert's sister was Ermengarde, whose first husband was Gozelon, Count of Montaigu, and second husband was Fredelon of Esch, who practiced brigandage with Giselbert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lords of Esch</span>

In the 10th through 13th centuries, the Lords of Esch were the holders of the castle of Esch-sur-Sûre in the Ardennes region of Lower Lorraine, then a part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Henry, lord of Esch, son of Fredelon of Esch. Henry was brother to Godfrey of Esch, and his family held the castle of Esch-sur-Sûre in the Ardennes. He and his brother were vassals of Henry III, Count of Luxembourg, and his brother and successor William. His step-mother was Ermengarde, Countess of Clermont, widow of Gozelon, Count of Montaigu, the founder of the family of counts of Montaigu.

Dodo of Cons , lord of Cons-la-Grandville, a nobleman from the Lotharingian territories, son of Adelon (Adelo) de Cons. Dodo was originally from Konz, above Trier at the confluence of the Moselle and Sauer rivers. Dodo had taken the cross and joined in the First Crusade and was lucky enough to return unscathed along with his wife, a countess of Chiny.

Godfrey (Geoffrey), Lord of Esch and crusader, son of Fredelon of Esch. Godfrey was brother to Henry of Esch. His family held the castle of Esch-sur-Sûre in the Ardennes. He and his brother were vassals of Henry III, Count of Luxembourg, and his brother and successor William. His stepmother was Ermengarde, Countess of Clermont, widow of Gozelon, Count of Montaigu.

The role of women in the Crusades is frequently viewed as being limited to domestic or illicit activities during the Crusades. While to some extent this is true, they nevertheless played a significant role, taking part in such activities including armed combat in the battles of the Holy Land. This article focuses on the First Crusades and identifies known participants. It also highlights some of the more famous women of the later crusades. For a discussion of the sociological and religious aspects of the mixing of women with the predominantly male crusaders, the reader is referred to the referenced documents.

The title of Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri, or Advocate of the Holy Sepulchre, has been ascribed to Godfrey of Bouillon in his role as the first Latin ruler of Jerusalem. In the aftermath of the First Crusade, there was disagreement among the clergy and secular leaders as the leadership of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. There was opposition to the naming of a king over the Holy City and the wearing of a crown in the city where Christ suffered with a crown of thorns. The original sources differ on the actual title assumed by Godfrey. However, it is generally accepted by most modern historians that, once Godfrey was selected to be leader, he declined to be crowned king instead taking the titles of prince (princeps) and advocate or defender of the Holy Sepulchre.

References

  1. ↑ Murray, Alan V. (1992). Revue belge de Philologie et d'Histoire 70-2 pp. 301-329. "The Army of Godfrey of Bouillon, 1096–1099: Structure and Dynamics of a Contingent on the First Crusade".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ A Database of Crusaders to the Holy Land. "List of members of Godfrey's army".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ Murray, Alan V. (2000). The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: A Dynastic History 1099-1125. Chapter II.3. The Crusading Army of Godfrey and Baldwin. pp. 46–62.
  4. ↑ "Comtes d'Astenois et de Toul".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ "Comtes de Luxembourg, 936-1136".
  6. ↑ "Fulbert of Boullion".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ "Robert of Anzi".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ Laret-Kayser, Arlette (1986). Entre Bar et Luxembourg : Le Comté de Chiny des Origines à 1300.
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