Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/34

 proceeded to organize a government for the newly-conquered territory. The majority of the suffrages were given in favour of Godfrey de Bouillon, a prince who was noted for his piety as much as for his valour, and he was at once elected to the post of ruler. Refusing the crown and title of king which were tendered to him, on the plea that he would never wear a crown of gold on the spot where his Saviour had worn a crown of thorns, he modestly determined to content himself with the title of Defender and Advocate of the Holy Sepulchre. He has, however, always ranked as the first king of Jerusalem.

Thus, after the lapse of four centuries, we once more find the sacred city freed from the yoke of Islam, and reverting to its old faith. It is a curious and instructive study to trace the extraordinary changes which time had wrought within its hallowed precincts. The siege of which the successful termination has just been recorded, was the tenth which Jerusalem, with varied fortunes, had undergone. It was first captured by David in the year 1051, when he drove out its Jebusite inhabitants and made it the capital of the Jewish kingdom. In the reign of Rehoboam, the grandson of David, seventy-five years afterwards, it was besieged by Shishak, king of Egypt, who, having gained admission through the cowardice of Rehoboam, pillaged the city and retained possession of it for a time. The next siege was that undertaken by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, in the time of Hezekiah, 715, when by miraculous interposition the besieging hosts were so suddenly smitten that they were compelled to retreat. On the fourth occasion the attack was made by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to enforce the payment of tribute, which Zedekiah, trusting to his Egyptian alliance, had refused to continue. For eighteen months the inhabitants persisted in their defence, famine and pestilence causing more havoc than the sword of the enemy. At length they were forced to yield, and the conqueror made his triumphal entry into the city. Such of the inhabitants as escaped with their lives were led away into slavery; the temple was reduced to ashes, and the city completely destroyed. By permission of Cyrus, king of Persia, it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, and once more