Page 44 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

42  INTRODUCING BEL GIUM AND L UXEMBOURG

were exhibited in triumph in the
Kortrijk cathedral. However, the
French took their revenge with
a crushing victory at the Battle
of Cassel, just south of Dunkirk
in present-day France, in 1328.
These tensions continued
throughout the Hundred Years’ War
between England and France. In 1338,
it was Ghent’s turn to rebel, with a
vain attempt to make Edward the
Black Prince (son of Edward III of
A 19th-century painting of the Battle of the Golden Spurs England) the Count of Flanders. The
revolt descended into anarchy in 1345
The Craftsmen’s Rebellion and the new Count of Flanders, Louis de
France held sway over its northeastern Male (r.1346–84), reasserted French control.
territory through the counts of Flanders
and an aristocracy loyal to the French The House of Burgundy
crown. The trading cities, run by guilds The Duchy of Burgundy had been a major
and wealthy merchants, tussled endlessly force in European politics since AD 843,
for the right to control their interests, and and its dukes had close links to the French
won varying degrees of autonomy through throne. In 1369, Philip, Duke of Burgundy,
the award of precious town charters. married Margaret, daughter of Louis de
The late 13th and early 14th centuries Male. When the latter died in 1384, the
witnessed a series of rebellions by the House of Burgundy took over the title of
craftsmen of Bruges, Brussels and Ghent, Count of Flanders, along with a patchwork
against the tyranny of the French lords. of possessions in the Low Countries. The
On the morning of 18 May 1302, Flemish dukes of Burgundy gradually consolidated
rebels in Bruges – led by Pieter de Coninck,
a weaver, and Jan Breydel, a butcher –
slaughtered their French oppressors in an
organized uprising that became known
euphemistically as the Bruges Matins.
Encouraged by this, Flemish troops, armed
only with lances and spears, took on and
defeated the might of the French cavalry
at Groeninge, near Kortrijk, on 11 July. This
victory became known as the Battle of the Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy and his court, a miniature
Golden Spurs, after the French spurs that painted by Rogier van der Weyden in 1447

Brass effigy of Edward the Black
Prince (1330–76)
1302 The Bruges Matins revolt
is followed by the Battle of the 1328 France reasserts
Golden Spurs – Flemish forces control over Flanders
defeat French cavalry after the Battle of Cassel
1300 1325 1350 1375
1338 Flemish towns become allied 1384 On the death of
to England in the Hundred Years’ War Louis de Male, his Flemish
possessions pass to his
Breydel and Coninck, 1337 Start of the Hundred Years’ War son-in-law, the Duke
leaders of the Bruges between England and France of Burgundy
Matins revolt

042-043_EW_Belgium.indd 42 18/10/16 3:00 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
History Portrait template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm