DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0098
88
GODFREY OF BOUILLON.
due, as I am informed, the principal credit of this
arrangement. In fact, the quarrels of the Christ-
ians had assumed so serious a character, that it
was deemed necessary by the Turkish government
to interpose and take the Holy Sepulchre under its
own protection. Accordingly, there is at present
constantly stationed here a Turkish guard.
But my attention was soon after called away
from these unpleasant considerations to some relics
that awakened in me the deepest interest; these
were the sword and spurs of Godfrey of Bouillon,
the greatest, bravest, and best of the Crusaders,
the unfictitious hero of Tasso's immortal poem—a
man, indeed, whose purity of purpose and noble-
ness of soul were so srreat that his character needed
not, or rather left no room for the flattering embel-
lishments of poetry, 'while his real exploits rivalled
those related of the most celebrated knights of ro-
mance. In passing out, we saw the tomb into
which he descended after a short reign* of about
one year.
* I have followed the majority of historians in applying
the word " reign" to the government of Godfrey in Jerusa-
lem. The expression is, however, scarcely correct, as the
following extract from a good authority will show:—
"The unanimous voice of the Christian army proclaimed
GODFREY OF BOUILLON.
due, as I am informed, the principal credit of this
arrangement. In fact, the quarrels of the Christ-
ians had assumed so serious a character, that it
was deemed necessary by the Turkish government
to interpose and take the Holy Sepulchre under its
own protection. Accordingly, there is at present
constantly stationed here a Turkish guard.
But my attention was soon after called away
from these unpleasant considerations to some relics
that awakened in me the deepest interest; these
were the sword and spurs of Godfrey of Bouillon,
the greatest, bravest, and best of the Crusaders,
the unfictitious hero of Tasso's immortal poem—a
man, indeed, whose purity of purpose and noble-
ness of soul were so srreat that his character needed
not, or rather left no room for the flattering embel-
lishments of poetry, 'while his real exploits rivalled
those related of the most celebrated knights of ro-
mance. In passing out, we saw the tomb into
which he descended after a short reign* of about
one year.
* I have followed the majority of historians in applying
the word " reign" to the government of Godfrey in Jerusa-
lem. The expression is, however, scarcely correct, as the
following extract from a good authority will show:—
"The unanimous voice of the Christian army proclaimed