Bouillon Brother #2: Duke Godfrey,
Flayer of Fatimids
1
Duke
Godfrey of Bouillon, French Godefroi de Bouillon (born c. 1060—died July 18, 1100, kingdom of
Jerusalem [now Jerusalem, Israel]), duke of Lower Lorraine (as Godfrey IV;
1089–1100) Brother of Eustace III, and a leader of the First Crusade, who
became the first Latin ruler in Israel after the capture of Jerusalem from the
Muslims in July 1099.
Being the middle child he had to earn his
fame by fighting for his king, the self-proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor.
When the call for crusade came, his Norman
blood boiled at the thought of someone else earning glory, and plunder! He
promptly convinced his brothers, Eustace and Baldwin to help raise a mighty
host and devote their combined strength to a good cause selling his castle and lands in the process. It was the knightly
version of philanthropy!
He distinguished himself as a powerful and
intelligent leader, able to find common ground with his rivals, and local
Muslim and Armenian Christian rulers. I
was going to list something about his abilities as a warrior, but ALL of the
knights I’ll be discussing were at the top of their class. They were some of the best martial arts
experts in the world, the professional athletes of their day.
And yes, they even had super fans!
He rose to
prominence as the supreme commander of the crusading princes, primarily after
Antioch but unquestionably after his role in the fall of Jerusalem.
Despite his faults, and though it took more
than a little convincing, he saw to the continuation of the march to Jerusalem
while others chose to peruse their own interests. Godfrey certainly, had his own plans, evident
by the many schemes and detours which strained his alliance between himself and
the other Normans. He also managed to
maintain cooperation with the other princes, filling the void at least to some
extent, left by Adhemar’s death.
Along with his brothers, and Tancred, he
successfully stormed the walls of Jerusalem and took the city. Despite the tumulus relationship with Raymond,
Godfrey became the first Duke of Jerusalem.
Shortly after the princes selected Godfrey as supreme commander of the
city, they all united one final time, to defeat the Fatimid Caliph’s army and
solidified the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Godfrey died not long after the battle that
secured the Crusader presence and his own kingdom, in 1100. Scholars debate his COD, but most believe it
was caused by a prolonged illness. It
was likely caused by the slow working venom of the last Saracen witch or
warlock he slew… Records of his passing
remain lost to most “scholars,” but I have it on good authority that he died,
gazing over a field littered with the bodies of his conquered foes.
Bouillon Brother #3: Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem
1.
Baldwin I,
byname Baldwin of Boulogne, French Baudouin de Boulogne (born 1058ish?—died April 2, 1118,
Al-ʿArīsh, Egypt), king of the Crusader state of Jerusalem (1100–18) who
expanded the kingdom and secured its territory, formulating an administrative
apparatus that was to serve for 200 years as the basis for Frankish rule in Syria and Israel. Like the other Normans, he was
known for his relatively just treatment/dealings with people of
ALL faith backgrounds, so long as it suited his purpose…
One of my least favorite members of the Crusade;
he was a shrewd man, great tactician, and like his brothers, deadly in the
field. He is perhaps unduly cast as the
most opportunistic and selfish of the knights.
His sullied background stems from his questionable methods during the acquisition
of Edessa, which went something like this:
While on a mission with Tancred to secure strongholds
to protect the main army’s flank, he was adopted as son and heir of the Armenian
Christian ruler of Eddessa and his wife.
Not long after the bizarre adoption ceremony concluded, an angry mob
swarmed the old man and his wife. The
lord was killed in the fray and Baldwin assumed command of the city, even took an Armenian Wife. Historians are
suspicious of such convenient regime changes because mob assassinations were a
common way for nobles to dispose of other nobles without soiling their own
reputations.
Another incident throwing doubt on Baldwin’s
exalted reputation comes from Tancred, another of my favorite knights (of all
time). Tancred was quite certain that
his re-enforcements (some 400 knights) were ambushed and executed by Baldwin,
whilst on their march to Antioch.
Lord Baldwin showed his true Ahole colors again when Antioch was
secure, and he no longer needed the support of the Armenians, he shipped his Armenian
wife off to a convent,
and married some other chick. Though he was an important asset to the
Crusader Army, and well-loved as King of Jerusalem, it is my opinion that he
was everything Hugh the Great wished he could be: King of the Douche Bags.
*Because I decided to introduce the Crusader
Princes by order of importance, Hugh will be discussed later… Much, much, later….
Baldwin’s death was one of the most unfortunate of the
Crusader Princes:
While fishing with some buddies, don’t ask
if they used live or artificial! These
guys were knights! Not just any Sir Joe Tinhat mind you, these guys were
knights knights. They spear- fished crocs and hippos in the Nile with their
lances. Seriously…
His death was mourned by ALL, (accept his
Armenian ex-wife) even his enemies were sad to see him go. Despite my opinion of him, I must acknowledge
that he was one of the greatest rulers that region ever had. Ever!
·
He had fantastic diplomats
·
Kept order in the region
·
Created and maintained alliances that few rulers
have held since, and they paid him tribute! (a knight’s version of extortion)
·
His enemies were absolutely terrified of him (Many
believed that he would eat them)
·
Maintained, and increased trade
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