Godfrey of Bulloigne or the Recoverie of Jerusalem

work by Fairfax

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June 17, 2026

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Godfrey of Bouillon was a key leader in the First Crusade and became the first Latin ruler of Jerusalem after its capture in 1099. He was the duke of Lower Lorraine and, though offered the crown, chose the title "Defender of the Holy Sepulchre" instead of king. His parents were Count Eustace II of Boulogne and Ida. Godfrey's brother, Baldwin I, succeeded him as ruler of Jerusalem.

Edward Fairfax's Godfrey of Bulloigne or the Recoverie of Jerusalem is an English translation of an Italian epic poem by Torquato Tasso. Published in 1600, Fairfax's translation was praised and influenced poets like John Milton. Fairfax also wrote other works, including eclogues.12

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Edward Fairfax
…was an English poet whose Godfrey of Bulloigne or the Recoverie of Jerusalem (1600), a translation of Gerusalemme liberata, an epic poem by his Italian contemporary Torquato Tasso, won fame and was praised by John Dryden. Although translating stanza by stanza, Fairfax freely altered poetic detail. The poem influenced the…
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…was an English poet whose Godfrey of Bulloigne or the Recoverie of Jerusalem (1600), a translation of Gerusalemme liberata, an epic poem by his Italian contemporary Torquato Tasso, won fame and was praised by John Dryden. Although translating stanza by stanza, Fairfax freely altered poetic detail. The poem influenced the…
Read More