three coats: the fine one he loses in the tavern, the ragged garment he wears as a
swineherd, and the new robe given him on his return home to his father.
Lynette R.Muir
Faral, Edmond, ed. Courtois d’Arras. 2nd ed. Paris: Champion, 1922.
Axton, Richard, and John Stevens, trans. Courtois d’Arras. In Medieval French Plays. Oxford:
Blackwell, 1971, pp. 137–64.
COURTRAI
. On July 11, 1302, outside the town of Courtrai in the county of Flanders, a rebellious
force of Flemish townspeople defeated a large French army composed mainly of mounted
knights.
Under the direct rule of Philip IV, who had imprisoned their count, Gui de Dampierre,
in 1297, the Flemings resented their subjection to the monarchy. In 1302, artisans in
Bruges massacred a French force sent to put down a rebellious element. Gathered from
all the towns and rural areas of Flanders, a newly formed army, led by a son and
grandson of the imprisoned count, began advancing against French castles and garrisons
in the county, arriving at the castle outside Courtrai on June 26.
A French army under the leadership of Robert d’Artois, composed of about 2,500
knights and accompanied by a support troop of many light infantry and Italian mercenary
crossbowmen, arrived on the field of Courtrai on July 8. Robert faced 8,000–15,000
Flemish infantry and very few knights. Although the Flemish army was larger, the French
troops were better armed and more experienced. The Flemings, however, held the better
ground with their backs to a river, and had dug ditches in the field to hinder cavalry
charges.
On July 11, the battle began with crossbowmen exchanging ineffective fire. Robert
then sent his French infantry into battle. Although this infantry was effective, almost to
the point of victory, Robert recalled them so that he could finish off the Flemings with his
knights. The French knights charged repeatedly, but the Flemish infantry held, and the
knights fell with little impact upon the Flemish lances and godedags, a curious weapon
that combined features of the spear and mace. The French losses were great: between 40
and 50 percent of their knights died, including Robert d’Artois. Hundreds of their golden
spurs (awarded for victories in tournaments) were collected by the Flemings and hung in
the cathedral of the Virgin in Courtrai.
Kelly DeVries
Johnstone, Hilda, ed. and trans. Annales Gandenses. London: Oxford University Press, 1951.
Funck-Brentano, Frantz. Philippe le Bel en Flandre: les origines de la guerre de cent ans. Paris:
Champion, 1896.
Verbruggen, J.F. The Art of Warfare in Western Europe During the Middle Ages, trans. Sumner
Willard and S.C.M.Southern. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1977.
——. De slag der guldensporen, bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van Vlaanderens vrijheidsoorlog,
1297–1305. Antwerp: Standard-Boekhandel, 1952.
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