Battle of the Golden Spurs
The Battle of the Golden Spurs or 1302 Battle of Courtrai was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the 1297–1305 Franco-Flemish War. It took place near the town of Kortrijk in modern-day Belgium and resulted in an unexpected victory for the Flemish.
Depiction from the Grandes Chroniques de France
The Flemish line of battle as depicted on the Courtrai Chest
Fragments of original goedendags preserved at the Kortrijk museum
The Flemish infantry pictured in the Florentine Nuova Cronica
The County of Flanders was one of the most powerful political entities in the medieval Low Countries, located on the North Sea coast of what is now Belgium. Unlike its neighbours, such as the counties of Brabant and Hainaut, it was within the territory of the Kingdom of France. The counts of Flanders held the most northerly part of the kingdom, and were among the original twelve peers of France. For centuries, the economic activity of the Flemish cities, such as Ghent, Bruges and Ypres, made Flanders one of the most affluent regions in Europe, and also gave them strong international connections to trading partners.
Count Philip (2nd from right) as swordbearer at Philip II's coronation. The count of Flanders was one of the 12 ancient Peers or "equals" of the King of France. (1455 panel painting by Jean Fouquet).
Institution of Baldwin I, the first count of Flanders by Charles the Bald, the Frankish king.
The Gravensteen at Ghent, Built by Philip of Alsace
A Flemish lady and gentleman in the year 1400, illustrated in the manuscript "Théâtre de tous les peuples et nations de la terre avec leurs habits et ornemens divers, tant anciens que modernes, diligemment depeints au naturel". Painted by Lucas d'Heere in the 2nd half of the 16th century. Preserved in the Ghent University Library.