Gouffier de Lastours
| Gouffier of Lastours | |
|---|---|
| Born | France |
| Died | France |
| Resting place | Le Chalard |
| Other names | Goufier, Golfier, Gulpher |
| Occupation | Lord of Lastours |
| Known for | Crusader |
| Spouse(s) | Agnes of Aubusson |
| Children | Gouffier, Guy, Olivier |
| Parent(s) | Guy I of Lastours, Agnes of Chambon |
Gouffier of Lastours (also Goufier, Golfier, Gulpher) was a knight from Lastours in the Limousin in France, who participated in the First Crusade. He was lord of the Château de Lastours, near Nexon, Haute-Vienne.
Gouffier's date of birth is unknown. He was the son of Guy I of Lastours and Agnes, sister of the lord of Chambon-Sainte-Valérie. He had two brothers, Guy II and Gerald. Along with his brothers, he donated land to Beaulieu Abbey sometime between 1062 and 1072, in return for masses to be said for their deceased father.
On December 23, 1095, he heard Pope Urban II preach the crusade at Limoges. Gouffier and his brothers joined the crusade, initially travelling in the army of their suzerain, Raymond IV of Toulouse, and of the papal legate Adhemar of Le Puy.
The accounts of Gouffier's actions in the early part of the crusade are somewhat unreliable. He supposedly distinguished himself at the Siege of Nicaea. On the crusaders' subsequent march through Anatolia, the army was split into two. Gouffier was supposedly part of the smaller army that was ambushed at Dorylaeum in July 1097, and was sent to the larger army to request help from Godfrey of Bouillon, who arrived just in time to defeat the Turks. However, it is more likely that Gouffier was already in the larger army, travelling with Godfrey and Raymond.
At the Siege of Antioch, Gouffier was part of the group that blockaded the route out of the city over Mount Silpius. The crusaders also built a bridge of boats over the Orontes River, and Gouffier crossed over it on horseback and killed three Turks who were waiting to ambush the crusaders on the other side. A few days later during another skirmish, he killed an emir and captured his horse. At another skirmish, he saved Raymond of Toulouse by killing fifteen Turks, breaking all of his weapons and shield in the process.
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