Bouillon. History of the castle of Bouillon in Belgium.

There are no precise dates for the foundation of the castle. What is obvious, however, is that it was built to control the north-south passage between Upper and Lower Lotharingia. Popular belief has it that Turpin, Lord of Ardenne, had a fortification constructed on the hill above the valley of the Semois. A true fortified castle was only constructed around 1050 - 1067 under Godfry III. The Dukes of the House of Ardenne owned the castle until 1096, when Godfry (the fifth) sold it. For almost six centuries the castle remained property of the Prince-bishops of Liege until they lost it to the Tour d'Avergnes - La Marck family in 1678. The castle had been taken after a 20 day siege by the troops of Louis XIV of France. Parts of the castle where changed during that time by Vauban, the great French military architect.

Later, during the Dutch period in the 19th century, the fortification underwent several changes: the chapel, the main tower and the house of the Governor were demolished and an arsenal and barracks were added to the castle. Then, slowly, from the middle of the 19th century, the Castle of Bouillon started to fall into ruins. Fortunately, it became a tourist attraction, which saved it from further destruction.

The castle can be visited all through the year (January : only weekends from 10am to 5pm; February - December : weekends from 10am to 5pmand weekdays from 1pm to 5pm; March - October - November : every day from 10am to 5pm; April - May - June - September : every day from 10am to 6pm; July - August : every day from 9.30am to 7pm)
Price : adults 4 € (Euro), children 2,50 € (Euro)

GODFRY (Godefroid) OF BOUILLON

In 1076 Godfry the Hunchback from the House of Ardenne, Duke of Bouillon, died childless. His cousin Godfry inherited the castle and its domain. This new duke was the son of Eustatius of Boulogne and Ide of Ardenne. He would became famous as leader of the first crusade. In order to be able to finance this crusade Godfry sold his castle for an enormous amount of money to Otbert, prince-bishop of Liege. Otbert desperately wanted to own this strategically important area and therefore plundered the abbeys and monasteries of his own diocese in order to come up with the necessary funds for the purchase.
Godfry left Bouillon in 1096 to lead the first crusade. He conquered Jerusalem, but died there in 1100 as 'protector of the Holy Sepulcher', after he had refused the title of King of Jerusalem. A romantic statue of Godfry can be seen on the Royal Square in Brussels.