Description
Book SynopsisThis book offers a new appraisal of the ancestry and career of Godfrey of Bouillon (c.1060-1100), a leading participant in the First Crusade (1096-99), and the first ruler of Latin Jerusalem (1099-1100), the polity established by the crusaders after they captured the Holy City. While previous studies of Godfrey's life have tended to focus on his career from the point at which he joined the crusade, this book adopts a more holistic approach, situating his involvement in the expedition in the light of the careers of his ancestors and his own activities in Lotharingia, the westernmost part of the kingdom of Germany. The findings of this enquiry shed new light on the repercussions of a range of critical developments in Latin Christendom in the eleventh and early twelfth centuries, including the impact of the Investiture Conflict' in Lotharingia, the response to the call for the First Crusade in Germany, Godfrey's influence upon the course of the crusade, his role in its leadership, and
Trade Review
‘Omnipresent in the crusader sources but seldom studied in his career beyond the crusades, Godfrey of Bouillon was due for a new biographical examination. Through painstaking analysis of the sources, in-depth prosopographical work, and clear analysis of the political and military background, John has produced a thorough portrayal, which by rooting Godfrey in his context before the crusade deepens and roots our understanding of his career in service of the Latin conquest of Jerusalem’ - De Re Militari: The Society for Medieval Military History.
‘… deeply researched and clearly presented… this book deserves to be read and enjoyed by anyone with an interest in the political world of 11th-century Europe, the religious climate that spawned the First Crusade, and the problems faced in establishing the Latin East’ – Reviews in History.
‘In sum, this new biography of Godfrey will surely become the standard work on Godfrey in any language… It is sure to make a considerable impact on the scholarship on the First Crusade’ – Sehepunkte.
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Ancestry and parentage 2. Godfrey’s career in the West, c.1060-95 3. The coming of the First Crusade, 1095-96 4. The First Crusade, 1096-99 5. In Jerusalem, 1099-1100 Conclusion Epilogue Bibliography
