On Perigrinus, Part IV: Heroes-The Bouillon Brothers-Eustace III

          

Part IV: Heroes-The Bouillon Brothers-Eustace III "The Noble" or just "Zack"

In A.D. 1096 there were no nations, only kingdoms made up of competing lords.  The most powerful kingdoms were not the ordered nation states, like that of today.  Medieval Europe was comprised of unstable realms that expanded and contracted with every generation.  When Pope Urban gave the call for crusade, the two most powerful kings (of France & Germany) had been excommunicated so the burden/opportunity to lead fell to their most powerful subjects.  

 One such group of powerful leaders was a unique trio of brothers who "took up the cross" together.  They would go on to   ...SPOILER ALERT ...  win themselves a kingdom.  

 This week I'll be introducing the character profiles of the Bouillon Brothers:

 First up: Eustace III, Count of Boulogne (1060-1125AD)

 Eustace III (The name was cool back then, it was like Zack back in 1992!) succeeded as Count of  Boulogne in 1087.  Though not as well-known today as his younger brothers are, he was the eldest  and in my opinion, the most "knightly" of the three. 

 I imagine he looked something like this:

 These brothers hail roughly from the nation known today as Belgium and parts of France.  They  were subjects of the German King or “Ze HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR!” (as Heinrich IV would’ve  certainly called himself.)

 Though subjects of the HRE

  (Holy Roman Empire-  consisted of all modern day Germany, large parts of other countries,    including German occupied Italy/Rome. > Google "anti-pope" for more info), 

the brothers' ancestry was distinctly Norman.  Their father fought alongside William at Hastings, the battle that transformed William the Bastard of Normandy into King William I the Conqueror, a much more palatable title…

(The Saxons, and my ancestors the Celts however, still used his former title in their conversations, and likely bestowed it on every other Norman as well.)

Germanic nobility, like their French counterparts, often had difficulties with sibling rivalry, especially when it came to transfers of power.  The Vikings/Normans by comparison had slightly healthier relationships with their family.  Godfrey and his brothers, are a testament to that distinct Norse cultural tradition of literal “brothers in arms.” 

Zack was a valiant knight, skilled both in war and administration.  He was also loyal and honorable some of his most notable actions were:

• He supported Robert’s claim to the English throne in 1088, because he believed it to be the will of King William I.  Certainly not because he believed the throne was in more capable hands with Robert Dufus, than it was with his younger, more intelligent brother, William Rufus. (He later changed is name to Robert Curthose, don't bother Googling it, the previous interpretation of his middle name has since been lost to history)  >.>
• Antioch: When many fled or literally died of despair, He backed his friends and brothers in battles where they were hopelessly outnumbered, and championed a cause that seemed all but lost.  He was part of the A-Team that stormed Antioch (we'll discuss this later), and he accompanied Raymond to deliver Jerusalem from their most recent conquerors. ("Deliver" was apparently a relative term then, as the population suffered more sacking/pillaging than most of the previous conquered cities) 
• He returned to his kingdom after fulfilling his pledge to reclaim the Holy Land, and never sought to expand his power there.  Though he did attempt to assume the title King of Jerusalem after the death of the Baldwin brother, by the time he reached the Mediterranean sea, Baldwin's successor had assumed the throne and contemporaries say that the succession came as a great relief to the old knight.

Post crusade Bio:

After fulfilling his oath, he returned to Europe to administer his domains.  He married Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland, and Saint Margaret of Scotland. That’s right, he married the daughter of a Legend and a Saint!  Eustace and Mary had one daughter, Matilda of Boulogne.  He died,  at a ripe old age of some such number I can't recall, and historians probably don't know for sure anyway.