Vlaanderen die Leeu!
Hi,
Just started a campaign as Flanders in DLV + Zapppas submod and RC and I'm loving it. I wish I could replay the "Battle of the Golden Spurs" with this setting...
Just because I was dreaming about the battle this afternoon (away from home and no chance to play!), i wrote a little piece about it (with the help of Wiki and my own history-lessons at shool; I am no historian, so forgive any errors).
I hope it convinces some of you to play as the small County of Flanders.
I would like to dedicate it to Zapppa, for his beautiful work on the Flemish faction...
Prologue
The origin of the conflict between Flanders and France was the reluctance of the Flemish counts to obey the French. In fact, even though the French King was the souverin of Flanders by feodal law, Flanders had a closer relation with England due to the intense wool-trade. The feodal system in Flanders had been lessened in any case due to the power of the cities Bruges, Ghent and Ypres, all rich through trade.
When England and France went to war with each other in 1294, Flanders sided with England, resulting in a French invasion of the region. King Edward I of England initially sent a relieve force, but quickly withdrew it after his unilateral ceasefire with France in 1298. Outnumbered and abandoned, the Flemish army surrendered in 1300. Several Flemish lords, among whom the count Gwijde de Dampiere himself, were taken hostage as an insurance of the Flemish obedience.
However, the French King Philip VI "De Shoone" ("the beautiful") raised ever higher taxes on his newly subdued vassal, especially targeting the Flemisch guildmembers and common people and sparing the French-minded patricians (called “leliaards” referring to the lily, symbol of the French king).
In March 1302 the commoners and guilds of Ghent and Bruges revolted. The French Viceroy Jacques de Chatillon, responded with military force. Ghent quickly subdued, but when Guy occupied Bruges with his small army and expelled the revolters, they responded with deadly vengeance. On May 18, 1302 (Good Friday) at the time of the morning prayers (“Metten”), the commoners of Bruges brutally murdered almost every person in the city who was suspected to be French or to have french sympathies, an event remembered today as the "Brugse Metten". Guy the Chatillon, however, managed to escape…
Allegedly, the commoners used the pass phrase “Scild ende Vrind” (“Shield and Friend”) to distinguish between Flemish and French speaking (who could not pronounce the phrase correctly) people , instantly killing the former.
The battle
The French King was furious and ordered a massive punitive expedition against Flanders. It is rumored that during the march to Flanders, the French nobles in the army carried brooms instead of lances, symbolizing their intention to “sweep” through Flanders and crush this “peasant revolt”.
The French army arrived at Kortrijk, a Flemish border town (at the time still under French occupation) in july 1302. It counted about 2500 heavy noble cavalry, 1000 crossbowmen, 1000 Pikemen and 3500 other infantry, totaling 8000 battle-hardened soldiers.
They were met by the Flemish army, a varied mix of well-equipped town militia. Many of them carried the legendary "Goedendag", a 1,5m long wooden club tipped with a heavy steel point, suited both for stabbing and bashing, which could also be stuck but-in-the-ground to counter cavalry attacks. The Flemish forces totaled around 9000, but only 400 of those were noble cavalry, which put the Flemish forces at a huge theoretical disadvantage.
On july 11th, both forces engaged on a boggy field near Kortrijk. Fearing the French cavalry, the Flemish army deployed behind two brooks in the field.
The battle started with skirmishes between the missile troops of both armies, but the Flemish archers quickly ran out of arrows and had to retreat. Then the French infantry advanced and pressed hard on the Flemish militia forces. Meanwhile, the French nobles ordered servants to fill the brooks to allow them to cross and join the fray.
Seeing the distress of the Flemish army and fearing a collapse before he could fight, the French supreme Commander, Robert d’ Artois, ordered his winning infantry to withdraw, so his nobles could have the honor of winning the day.
This decision proved disastrous: the brooks were far from filled by the time the nobles got to them, forcing a slow crossing. On the other side, the Flemish troops were too close to allow the French cavalry to build up sufficient speed to break the lines. It was slaughter…
There is still discussion whether it was so ordered or due to ignorance of the Flemish militia forces, but contrary to the custom at the time the Flemish forces gave no quarter, killing the French nobles as they lay immobile and vulnerable from their horses.
Here, custom says, the Goedendag earned his name: the weakest spot in the French armor was at the neck, so the Flemish forces aimed at that part with their pikes. Apparently, because of the impact of these thrusts, the French nobles’ heads jerked forward, as if they were nodding their last greeting! (Goedendag is the Flemish greeting “Good day”)
Outcome
The battle ended in a rout of the French army, and on the battlefield at least 500 golden (or rather gilded) spurs were recovered, giving the Battle his name “Gulden Sporenslag” (“Battle of the Golden Spurs”). Only high French nobility could afford golden spurs, with lesser knights carrying silver or iron spurs. This should give an idea of the disaster to the French!
Both the French Supreme Commander Robert d' Artois and the former Viceroy of Flanders Jacques de Chatillon were among the casualties.
Seven days later, it is said, Pope Bonifatius VIII in Rome was woken with the news that for the first time in history a militia infantry army had beaten a nobility cavalry army in a major battle. Although Flanders quickly had to make territorial concessions to the French in a treaty in 1305 after several defeats and indisive battles, Flanders had gained an important independent status. Although Gwijde van Dampiere (captured again after a defeat in 1304) was reinstated as the Count of Flanders, he was never allowed to leave his imprisonment in the dungeon of Compiègne.
The Birthday of this battle is still remembered every year, as it is the national holiday of the Flemish Community in Belgium. Also, our national anthem is loosely based on this battle, reminding what happens to those who think the lion (Flanders) small and weak...
"Vlaanderen die Leeu!" is said to have been the battle-cry of the Flemish militia, meaning "Flanders, the Lion!", referring to the lion on our flag to date...
Wish I could do some voice acting for Flanders now...
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by drikc77
nice read though
about history.
