Page 62 - All About History - Issue 53-17

Greatest Battles

French Army 01 On favourable ground 02 Castle of Courtrai
The Flemish skilfully established their defensive
As the Battle of the Golden
TROOPS 5,500 positions near the city of Courtrai in an arc or diamond Spurs begins, the French garrison of
salient, anchoring their right flank on the River Lys and
Courtrai Castle attempts to attack Flemish
KNIGHTS 2,500 taking advantage of streams, ditches and marshes that positions from the rear. However, a
criss-crossed the field to slow charging knights to a
contingent of Flemish infantry from the
crawl. The defenders also improved their lines by digging city of Ypres forces the French back inside
trenches and holes in the ground and narrowing the field the castle walls, where they remained for
in which the French knights could deploy. the duration of the battle.

COUNT ROBERT II
OF ARTOIS

LEADER 02
Count Robert II of Artois was an
experienced commander and was
known to have won numerous 09
contests in single combat.
Strengths: Veteran commander
with a good grasp of military and
battlefield tactics.
Weaknesses: Unable to adapt to
changing circumstances and failure
to understand terrain.

FRENCH KNIGHTS

KEY UNIT
The heavily armed and armoured
noble knight was the king of the Key
battlefield prior to the Battle of the
Golden Spurs.
Strengths: Armour protection and
weight of attacking force. Flemish
Weakness: Lack of mobility
if unhorsed and vulnerable to
prepared infantry.
French

PIKE 10 Gathering golden spurs 09 Begging for mercy
After their victory, Flemish troops gather
One group of French knights manages to
KEY WEAPON at least 500 golden spurs from the bodies of French breach the Flemish line and penetrate into the enemy
knights, whom they leave unburied. The spurs, for
rear area. However, these hapless horsemen are
A long pole with a sharp multipoint which the battle is named, were likely won during soon cut off, violently dismounted and annihilated
spike attached, the pike was a tournaments but have become war trophies to be without pity. Robert of Artois is trapped and begs
standard medieval weapon. displayed in a nearby church for the next 80 years, the enemy to spare his life, possibly to be ransomed.
Strengths: Penetrating power a source of French humiliation. The battle changes The Flemish execute the French commander as his
against charging enemy forces. the dynamic of combat, ending the dominance of infantrymen, shocked by the devastation, abandon
Weaknesses: Very difficult to the mounted knight. the knights to their fate and flee.
use if the opponent gets past the
weapon’s effective range.
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