Courtrai 1302. Bruges Matins and the Battle of Courtrai. Commoners versus knights. Unequal forces and morale

04.03.2021

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In XII – XIII Over the centuries, Flanders quickly became one of the most economically developed regions of Europe. Bruges, Ghent, Ypres and other cities of the county became major centers of industry, trade and culture. Bourgeois order was established in the cities, which encouraged the burghers to fight for their independence. At the same time, peasant unions emerged that sought to abolish relations of feudal dependence in rural areas.

Battle of Courtrai, battle map

The cities of Flanders managed to defeat the lords. However, the city patriciate (city elite) took advantage of the fruits of freedom, seizing power into their own hands. A struggle between artisans, apprentices and non-guild workers began with the patriciate, whose representatives soon turned to the French king for help. Taking advantage of this, Philip IV Handsome captured all of Flanders in 1300.

The war tax introduced by the French king caused indignation among the broad masses. In 1301, the artisans of Bruges rebelled against this tax. The French suppressed the popular uprising, but they failed to defuse the situation.

Battle of Courtrai

In May 1302, rebel citizens destroyed the 3,000-strong French garrison in Bruges. "Matins of Bruges" served as a signal for a general uprising against French rule. The citizens of Bruges and Ghent distinguished themselves with the greatest restraint and organization. Peasants joined the townspeople. The rebels were led by the Bruges townsman Peter Koenig. Events developed so rapidly that in a very short time the French were forced to surrender all the castles except Courtray and Cassel. However, the political situation was complicated by the fact that most of the townspeople were fighting not only the French, but also their own patriciate.

Philip sent a feudal militia against the rebel Flemings, reinforced by mercenaries - Lombard crossbowmen and Spanish dart throwers. In total, the French had 7.5 thousand horsemen and 3-5 thousand foot mercenaries, that is, 10-12 thousand people. The army was commanded by Captain General Comte d'Artois. Having received information about the enemy's movement, the Flemings lifted the siege of the castle of Casseya and concentrated at Courtray, deciding to give battle here. Their forces were estimated at 13–20 thousand people.

The peculiarity of the rebel army was that it consisted of only about 10 knights (commanders and their retinue), the rest were foot soldiers. The infantry consisted of archers (archers and crossbowmen), pikemen, some of whom were armed with godendags, and warriors armed with clubs. The advanced (selected) part of the Flemish army was armed with iron helmets, chain mail, armor and long pikes with a diamond-shaped iron tip. She was “followed by people who did not have full safety weapons; they wore a light helmet, a bassinet, and a wooden shield hung around their neck.

Others have gambesons, that is, leather helmets, or body covers made of a thick quilted canvas jacket. As an offensive weapon, they had thick, rough sticks, the upper iron frame of which formed a kind of apple and then ended with an iron tip in the form of a dagger, so that this weapon could be used not only as a pike, but partly as a mace - this is a famous weapon that acquired soon great glory will be in their hands.”

The Flemish army took up a strong defensive position in the bend of the river. Fox. In front of the front flowed the Trening stream, 2.5–3 m wide and about 1.5 m deep. The swampy banks of the stream made it difficult for the knightly cavalry to act; In addition, wolf pits were dug on the right bank. The right flank of the position was covered by the bend of the river. The fox, behind which was the city; the left flank was protected by a fortified monastery; in the rear flowed an impassable river. Fox.

The total length of the front was a little more than one kilometer, the greatest depth of the battle formation was 500–600 m. The position was chosen for a defensive battle, but excluded the possibility of retreat. In addition, in the rear of the right flank there was a castle occupied by a French garrison, from which enemy attacks had to be constantly expected.

The Flemish battle formation was a phalanx built along the Trening stream. The number of ranks in it is unknown. As reported in the chronicle of Saint-Denis, “the townspeople formed one single line of battle, sending forward archers, then men with spears and iron clubs - alternately - then the rest.”

Archers would be sent across the stream to serve as combat guards. Koma, blowing with their knights dismounted and stood in the center of the phalanx. A detachment of Ypres townspeople lined up against the castle with the task of repelling an attack by the French garrison. A detachment under the command of an experienced knight was allocated to the reserve. Thus, the battle formation had tactical depth, and its flanks abutted natural obstacles. The warriors received orders to hit the knight's horses.

For several days the French army stood indecisively one kilometer south of Courtray. D'Artois understood that the enemy was in a strong position. Nevertheless, at dawn on July 11, 1302, he moved his army east, intending to attack the Flemings and relieve the castle. The tightness of the position did not allow all 10 battles or individual detachments into which the army was divided, stretch out into one battle line, and the troops (not counting the infantry) were positioned in three lines. Ahead of the front there were 10 thousand Lombard crossbowmen and bidals, who served as scouts for the cavalry.

At about 7 o'clock in the morning, crossbowmen and javelin throwers, turning against the entire front of the rebels, attacked the Flemish archers and drove them back across the stream. Following this, they began to fire at the Flemish phalanx, which retreated a little and left the firing zone. Then d'Artois ordered the advanced units to retreat back, and the knights to pass through their infantry and attack the Flemings. This maneuver brought some confusion into the ranks of the French army. Some of the Lombards were trampled by their own cavalry.

Battle of Courtrai 1302

At the moment when the knights began to cross the stream, the Flemish phalanx moved forward and counterattacked the French, which turned out to be a complete surprise to them. Hand-to-hand combat ensued along the entire front.

The French knights managed to break through the center of the Flemish phalanx, but they were unable to build on their success, because they were counterattacked and driven back by the Flemish reserve. They found themselves thrown back behind the stream and the flanks of the French army.

Having repelled three attacks by the French cavalry, both flanks of the Flemings launched a decisive offensive, driving the fleeing enemy to the stream. The persecution and physical destruction of the knights began. The Flemings had orders to keep an eye on each other, putting to death anyone who dared to show nobility and be merciful to the enemy. The result of the victory at Courtray was that the well-organized infantry of the Flemish townspeople and peasants, defending their freedom and independence, completely defeated the knightly cavalry of the conquerors. The French were forced to withdraw from Flanders. Philip

IV , having abandoned its conquest, was able to retain only a few southern cities.

The moral significance of the victory was so great that after it, one Fleming on foot with a godendag was ready to fight with two mounted knights.From a military-historical point of view, the Battle of Courtrai is interesting in that it represents one of the rather rare examples of a defensive battle: for the first time in the Middle Ages, united masses of infantry successfully resisted the knightly cavalry, counterattacked it, and won a decisive victory.

The art of war is one of the most ancient forms of human activity. Since ancient times, the military has occupied a special place in society and has a serious influence on the processes taking place in it.

Professional soldiers have skills that civilians lack. This is where the rule arose, according to which a detachment of professional military men can easily cope with a larger, but unprofessional militia.

However, as they say, everything is not so simple. There have been many cases in world history when military professionals turned out to be beaten by “amateurs.”

By the beginning of the 14th century in Western Europe, mounted knightly units were considered the main military force. It was as difficult to resist heavily armed knightly cavalry as it was to fight the advance of large tank formations in the 20th century.

The knights, knowing their strength, treated commoners like cattle: robberies and murders committed as part of internecine conflicts, and sometimes just for fun, were commonplace for the 13th-14th centuries.

But every action gives rise to reaction. The response to this was uprisings, which sometimes took the form of a full-scale war.

"King Philip IV the Fair." Artist Jean-Louis Bezard. Source: Public Domain

The king wants Flanders

In the second half of the 13th century, the County of Flanders, nominally part of the Kingdom of France, actually retained its independence. King Philip IV the Handsome, who ascended the throne in 1285, decided to subjugate Flanders.

At first, the king tried to act peacefully, enlisting the support of part of the county elite. However, it was not possible to resolve the issue in this way, and in 1297 French troops invaded Flanders.

Count of Flanders Guy de Dampierre relied on the help of his ally, England, but the British did not provide the expected support. In 1299, a peace treaty was concluded between the kings of England and France, in which the Count of Flanders was not named. In 1300, French troops completely occupied Flanders, which they annexed to the possessions of Philip the Fair.

The local population initially reacted positively to the transition to French rule - the local elite, led by the count, was not popular.

"Matins of Bruges"

But hopes were disappointed - the French, led by Royal Viceroy Jacques de Chatillon behaved like classic occupiers. They took over all profitable industries, primarily trade, into their own hands, leaving pitiful crumbs for the Flemings. The defiant behavior of the French, their open contempt for the indigenous inhabitants of these lands, provoked the indignation of the Flemings.

On the night of May 17–18, 1302, an event took place known as the “Matins of Bruges,” or “Bartholomew’s Night of Flanders.”

Armed rebels led by Peter de Koninck And Jan Breidel entered the buildings where the French lived and killed them. To determine nationality, the Flemings required suspects to say "schild en vriend" in Dutch, meaning "shield and friend." The French who did not speak the language or uttered a phrase with a strong accent were killed on the spot. During this massacre, at least 4,000 people died, and the governor himself with a handful of his associates miraculously managed to escape.

"Good afternoon" against the knights

The uprising spread to other cities in Flanders. Philip the Fair, having learned about the rebellion, sent an army led by Count Robert II d'Artois.

Under his command were up to 3,000 heavily armed knights, about 1,000 crossbowmen, 2,000 spearmen and 3,000 infantry.

The army of the Count d'Artois moved towards the city of Courtrai, which remained loyal to the French king and was besieged by the rebels.

The Flemish army that besieged Courtray on June 26 was a militia drawn from various cities in Flanders. Its core, about 4,000 people, including 300 crossbowmen, were residents of Bruges. The total number of the army ranged from 7 to 11 thousand infantrymen, whose weapons consisted of steel helmets, chain mail, spears, bows, crossbows and godendags. Godendag was a heavy club the size of a man with a shaft that widened at the top, bound in iron and equipped with a sharp spike.

The creators of these weapons were not devoid of wit: “godendag” literally means “good afternoon.”

Godendag tips in the Kortrijk 1302 Museum (Belgium). Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Paul Hermans

Stuck in the mud

The advantage in numbers, according to the ideas of that time, could not help the Flemings. It seemed impossible to resist an armada of heavy knightly cavalry.

The French army appeared at the walls of Courtray on July 11. The armies met in an open field near the city, next to the Groninge stream.

The Flemings managed to prepare by digging a whole network of ditches and streams on the field, which was supposed to reduce the effectiveness of the use of cavalry.

Lined up on the banks of the stream, the Flemings took the first blow from the French. The shelling of archers and crossbowmen, as well as the attack of the French infantry, forced the front line of the Flemings to retreat.

Count d'Artois, believing that the enemy before him was not serious enough to waste much time on, ordered his infantry to give way to the cavalry. He was convinced that the attack of the knights would crush the ranks of the commoners.

And here the terrain and the preparatory work carried out by the Flemings played a role. The heavy cavalry got stuck in holes and mud, losing speed and ability to maneuver. While the knights were trying to get out of the trap, the Flemish infantry went on the attack. The military elite of France were thrown from their horses and finished off with godendags. Count d'Artois threw a reserve into the battle, which stopped the beating for a while, but the Flemings also brought up reinforcements. At the same time, they repulsed an attempt by the Courtray garrison to make a sortie to help the knights.

Courtray (now Kortrijk), 17th century.

Commanders

Jean de Renesse
Wilhelm of Jülich
Peter de Koninck
Guy de Namur
Jan Borlu

Robert II d'Artois †
Jacques de Chatillon
Jean de Dammartin

Strengths of the parties Losses

Battle of Courtrai or Battle of the Golden Spurs(Dutch. De Guldensporenslag, fr. bataille des éperons d'or listen)) - battle of the Flemings with the French army on July 11, 1302 near the city of Courtrai during the Flemish Revolt of 1302.

Background

In June 1297, the French invaded Flanders, and could achieve some success. England, busy at war with Scotland, and the Flemings signed a truce in 1297 with the French. In January 1300, after the end of the treaty, the French re-entered the county, and by May they were in complete control. Dampierre was arrested and taken to Paris, and Philip personally visited Flanders to carry out administrative changes.

After the king's departure, on May 18, 1302, the townspeople of Bruges launched a revolt against the French governor of Flanders, Jacques de Chatillon, known as the Bruges Matins. Jean I and Guy de Namur took command of the rebels, since Guy de Dampierre remained in prison. The county was controlled by the rebels with the exception of Ghent, Kortrijk and Kassel (who supported the king). Most of the nobility took the side of the French king, fearing the rise of the common people to power.

Strengths of the parties

The French army, commanded by Count Robert of Artois, consisted of: 1000 crossbowmen (the majority were natives of Lombardy), 2000 spearmen and 3000 infantry (both French and mercenaries from Lombardy, Navarre and Spain) and 2700 noble cavalry, divided into three parts .

The Flemish Army had contingents from:

Bruges (2600 - 3700 people, including 320 crossbowmen).
Chatels Brugse Vrije east of Bruges (2500 people led by the son of Guy de Dampierre).
Ypres (1000 people, half were in reserve with John III Van Renesse).
East Flanders (2,500 men)

This army consisted mainly of well-trained and equipped city militia, organized in guilds. The weapons consisted of steel helmets, chain mail, spears, bows, crossbows and godendags. The latter was a 1.5 meter long shaft with a steel spike. As mentioned above, the bulk of the nobility took the side of France; the chronicle of Ghent mentioned ten knights on the side of the rebels.

Battle

Flemish forces united at Kortrijk on June 26, after which they besieged the castle with a French garrison, and prepared for the upcoming battle. The castle could not be taken before the main enemy army arrived, and the two forces clashed on 11 July in an open field near the town, next to the Groninge stream.

The field was crossed by numerous ditches and streams, dug by Flemish soldiers, who covered part of what had been dug with mud and branches. In such conditions, the effectiveness of the cavalry was less; the servants sent to build the crossing were destroyed ahead of time. The Flemings' position was a square, covered from the rear by the Lys River, the front fortunately facing the French army and located behind the large rivers.

The French infantry began to advance, they managed to cross the rivers and achieved some success, although they were unable to push back the Flemish front line. Robert Artois impatiently ordered the infantry to give way to the cavalry. Its advance was much more complicated by the natural landscape, against which the Flemish infantry launched an attack. Many knights were knocked out and finished off by the godendags while trying to break the chain of spearmen; the horsemen who escaped from the encirclement were subsequently destroyed on the flanks.

To turn the tide of the battle, Artois ordered the cavalry reserves to move forward, but this maneuver was not effective. With no new reinforcements, the French knights were eventually driven back to ditches and streams, where they became easy prey for the militia. The foray from the garrison was thwarted by a specially prepared detachment of Flemings. The spectacle of the defeat of the knightly army had a strong impact on the French army, the remnants of which pursued another 10 km (6 miles). The Flemings took almost no knights prisoner, and Robert de Artois was among those killed.

The Flemings emerged victorious and collected 700 pairs of golden spurs from the corpses of the knights, which were hung in one of the city churches for the edification of future generations, so the Battle of Courtrai went down in history as well as Battle of the Golden Spurs. In 1382, the spurs were taken by the soldiers of Charles VI after the Battle of Rosebeek, and Kortrijk was sacked.

Consequences

With their decisive victory the Flemings strengthened their control over the county. Kortrijk Castle surrendered on July 13, the next day Guy de Namur entered Ghent. Patrician rule was soon replaced in Ghent and Ypres. The guilds received official recognition.

The battle soon became known as the Battle of Courtra after 500 pairs of spurs were captured in the battle and offered up at the nearby Church of Our Lady. After the Battle of the Trip in 1382, Spurs was captured by the French and Kortrijk was sacked by Charles VI in revenge.

The French managed to change this situation with two victories in 1304: in the naval battle of Zerikzee and the land battle of Mons-en-Pevele. In June 1305, negotiations culminated in the Treaty of Hatis, according to which Flanders was recognized as an integral part of France in the form of a county, in exchange the Flemings agreed to pay 20,000 pounds, and 400,000 pounds in reparations and transferred a number of cities to the king.

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing the Battle of Courtrai

“What a stupid thing I said, however, to the governor’s wife! – Nikolai suddenly remembered during dinner. “She’ll definitely start wooing, and Sonya?..” And, saying goodbye to the governor’s wife, when she, smiling, once again told him: “Well, remember,” he took her aside:
- But to tell you the truth, ma tante...
- What, what, my friend; Let's go sit here.
Nikolai suddenly felt the desire and need to tell all his innermost thoughts (those that he would not have told his mother, sister, friend) to this almost stranger. Nikolai later, when he recalled this impulse of unprovoked, inexplicable frankness, which, however, had very important consequences for him, it seemed (as it always seems to people) that he had found a stupid verse; and yet this outburst of frankness, together with other minor events, had enormous consequences for him and for the whole family.
- That's it, ma tante. Maman has long wanted to marry me to a rich woman, but the thought alone disgusts me, marrying for money.
“Oh yes, I understand,” said the governor’s wife.
– But Princess Bolkonskaya, that’s another matter; first of all, I’ll tell you the truth, I really like her, she’s after my heart, and then, after I met her in this position, it’s so strange, it often occurred to me that this was fate. Think especially: maman has been thinking about this for a long time, but I had never met her before, as it all happened: we didn’t meet. And at a time when Natasha was her brother’s fiancée, because then I would not have been able to think about marrying her. It’s necessary that I met her exactly when Natasha’s wedding was upset, and then that’s it... Yes, that’s what. I haven't told this to anyone and I won't tell it. And only to you.
The governor's wife shook his elbow gratefully.
– Do you know Sophie, cousin? I love her, I promised to marry her and I will marry her... Therefore, you see that this is out of the question,” Nikolai said awkwardly and blushing.
- Mon cher, mon cher, how do you judge? But Sophie has nothing, and you yourself said that things are very bad for your dad. And your maman? This will kill her, for one. Then Sophie, if she is a girl with a heart, what kind of life will she have? The mother is in despair, things are upset... No, mon cher, you and Sophie must understand this.
Nikolai was silent. He was pleased to hear these conclusions.
“Still, ma tante, this can’t be,” he said with a sigh, after a short silence. “Will the princess still marry me?” and again, she is now in mourning. Is it possible to think about this?
- Do you really think that I will marry you now? Il y a maniere et maniere, [There is a manner for everything.] - said the governor’s wife.
“What a matchmaker you are, ma tante...” said Nicolas, kissing her plump hand.

Arriving in Moscow after her meeting with Rostov, Princess Marya found there her nephew with his tutor and a letter from Prince Andrei, who prescribed them their route to Voronezh, to Aunt Malvintseva. Concerns about the move, worries about her brother, the arrangement of life in the new house, new faces, raising her nephew - all this drowned out in the soul of Princess Marya that feeling of temptation that tormented her during her illness and after the death of her father, and especially after meeting with Rostov. She was sad. The impression of the loss of her father, which was combined in her soul with the destruction of Russia, now, after a month that had passed since then in the conditions of a calm life, was felt more and more strongly by her. She was anxious: the thought of the dangers to which her brother, the only close person left with her, was exposed, tormented her incessantly. She was preoccupied with raising her nephew, for whom she felt constantly incapable; but in the depths of her soul there was an agreement with herself, resulting from the consciousness that she had suppressed the personal dreams and hopes that had arisen in herself, connected with the appearance of Rostov.
When the next day after her evening, the governor’s wife came to Malvintseva and, having talked with her aunt about her plans (having made the reservation that, although under the current circumstances it is impossible to even think about formal matchmaking, it is still possible to bring the young people together, let them get to know each other ), and when, having received the approval of her aunt, the governor's wife under Princess Marya spoke about Rostov, praising him and telling how he blushed at the mention of the princess, Princess Marya experienced not a joyful, but a painful feeling: her inner agreement no longer existed, and again Desires, doubts, reproaches and hopes arose.
In those two days that passed from the time of this news to the visit to Rostov, Princess Marya continually thought about how she should behave in relation to Rostov. Then she decided that she would not go into the living room when he arrived at his aunt’s, that in her deep mourning it was indecent for her to receive guests; then she thought it would be rude after what he had done for her; then it occurred to her that her aunt and the governor’s wife had some kind of plans for her and Rostov (their looks and words sometimes seemed to confirm this assumption); then she told herself that only she, with her depravity, could think this about them: they could not help but remember that in her position, when she had not yet taken off her plereza, such matchmaking would be insulting both to her and to the memory of her father. Assuming that she would come out to him, Princess Marya came up with the words that he would say to her and that she would say to him; and sometimes these words seemed to her undeservedly cold, sometimes they had too much meaning. Most of all, when meeting with him, she was afraid of embarrassment, which, she felt, should take possession of her and betray her as soon as she saw him.
But when, on Sunday after mass, the footman reported in the living room that Count Rostov had arrived, the princess did not show embarrassment; only a slight blush appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes lit up with a new, radiant light.
-Have you seen him, auntie? - Princess Marya said in a calm voice, not knowing how she could be so outwardly calm and natural.
When Rostov entered the room, the princess lowered her head for a moment, as if giving time to the guest to greet his aunt, and then, at the very time Nikolai turned to her, she raised her head and met his gaze with sparkling eyes. With a movement full of dignity and grace, she stood up with a joyful smile, extended her thin, gentle hand to him and spoke in a voice in which for the first time new, feminine chest sounds were heard. M lle Bourienne, who was in the living room, looked at Princess Marya with bewildered surprise. The most skillful coquette, she herself could not have maneuvered better when meeting a person who needed to please.
“Either black suits her so well, or she really has become so prettier and I didn’t notice. And most importantly – this tact and grace!” - thought m lle Bourienne.
If Princess Marya had been able to think at that moment, she would have been even more surprised than M lle Bourienne at the change that had taken place in her. From the moment she saw this sweet, beloved face, some new force of life took possession of her and forced her, against her will, to speak and act. Her face, from the time Rostov entered, suddenly changed. How suddenly, with unexpected, striking beauty, that complex, skillful artistic work appears on the walls of the painted and carved lantern, which previously seemed rough, dark and meaningless, when the light is lit inside: so suddenly the face of Princess Marya was transformed. For the first time, all that pure spiritual inner work with which she had lived until now came out. All her inner work, dissatisfied with herself, her suffering, desire for good, humility, love, self-sacrifice - all this now shone in those radiant eyes, in her thin smile, in every feature of her tender face.
Rostov saw all this as clearly as if he had known her all her life. He felt that the creature in front of him was completely different, better than all those he had met so far, and better, most importantly, than himself.
The conversation was very simple and insignificant. They talked about the war, involuntarily, like everyone else, exaggerating their sadness about this event, they talked about the last meeting, and Nicholas tried to divert the conversation to another subject, they talked about the good governor’s wife, about the relatives of Nicholas and Princess Marya.

COURTRE, Kortrijk (French Courtrai, flam. Kortrijk) is a city in Belgium, near which on July 11, 1302, a battle took place between the French army (Captain General Count R. d'Artois; 10-12 thousand) and the people's militia of Flanders ( V. Housing; 13-20 thousand). After the capture of Flanders in 1300, the oppression of the royal governors caused a popular uprising in 1302 (see " Bruges Matins"). The rebels besieged Courtier, which was approached by an army sent by the French king Philip IV the Fair to suppress the uprising. The Flanders foot militia took up an advantageous position at Courtier, covered from the rear by the Lys River, and from the front by the swampy Groningen stream. The Count of Artois, under the cover of crossbowmen, threw knightly cavalry (7.5 thousand) into battle. The knights, having difficulty crossing the stream, were destroyed piece by piece by the Flemings, armed with long pikes. Up to 4 thousand knights were killed. 700 golden spurs were collected on the battlefield, which is why the Battle of Courtiers is sometimes called the “Battle of the Spurs.”

Under Courtier, for the first time in the history of Western Europe, infantry defeated mounted knights. Philip IV was forced to abandon the conquest of Flanders and make peace at Hathis (1305).

A. A. Malinovsky. Moscow.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 8, KOSSALA – MALTA. 1965.

Literature: Delbrück G., Military History. art within the framework of politics. history, vol. 3, M., 1938; Pirenne A., Medieval cities of Belgium, trans. from French, M., 1937; Razin E. A., Military history. Art, vol. 2, M., 1957.

In the XII-XIII centuries, Flanders quickly turned into one of the most economically developed regions of Europe. Bruges, Ghent, Ypres and other cities of the county became major centers of industry, trade and culture. Bourgeois order was established in the cities, which encouraged the burghers to fight for their independence. At the same time, peasant unions emerged that sought to abolish relations of feudal dependence in rural areas.

Philip sent a feudal militia against the rebel Flemings, reinforced by mercenaries - Lombard crossbowmen and Spanish dart throwers. In total, the French had 7.5 thousand horsemen and 3-5 thousand foot mercenaries, that is, 10-12 thousand people. The army was commanded by Captain General Count d'Artois. (A. Puzyrevsky and Geisman estimated the size of the French army at approximately 47 thousand people).

Having received information about the enemy’s movement, the Flemings lifted the siege of Kassel Castle and concentrated at Courtray, deciding to give battle here. Their forces were estimated at 13-20 thousand people.

The peculiarity of the rebel army was that it consisted of only about 10 knights (commanders and their retinue), the rest were foot soldiers. The infantry consisted of archers (archers and crossbowmen), pikemen, some of whom were armed with godendags, and warriors armed with clubs. According to A. Puzyrevsky, the advanced (selected) part of the Flemish army was armed with iron helmets, chain mail, armor and long pikes with a rhombic iron tip. She was “followed by people who did not have full safety weapons; they wore a light helmet, a bassinet, and a wooden shield suspended from the neck. Others have gambesons, that is, leather helmets, or body covers made of a thick canvas quilted jacket. In as an offensive weapon they had thick, rough sticks, the upper iron rim of which formed a kind of apple and then ended with an iron tip in the form of a dagger, so that this weapon could be used not only as a pike, but partly also as a mace - this is the famous goedendag, which soon acquired loud glory is in their hands." (Puzyrevsky A. History of military art in the Middle Ages. Part 1. St. Petersburg, 1884. P. 19.)

The Flemish army took up a strong defensive position in the bend of the river. Fox. The Groening stream, 2.5-3 m wide and about 1.5 m deep, flowed in front of the front. The swampy banks of the stream made it difficult for the knight's cavalry to act; In addition, wolf pits were dug on the right bank. The right flank of the position was covered by the bend of the river. The fox, behind which was the city; the left flank was protected by a fortified monastery; in the rear flowed an impassable fordable river. Fox. The total length of the front was a little more than one kilometer, the greatest depth of the battle formation was 500-600 m. The position was convenient for a defensive battle, but excluded the possibility of retreat. In addition, in the rear of the right flank there was a castle occupied by a French garrison, from which enemy attacks had to be constantly expected.

The Flemish battle formation was a phalanx built along the Groening stream. The number of ranks in it is unknown. As reported in the chronicle of Saint-Denis, "the townspeople formed one single battle line, sending forward archers, then men with spears and iron clubs - alternately - then the rest." (See: Delbrück. “History of Military Art”. Vol. III. 1938. P. 313). Archers were sent across the stream to serve as combat guards. The commanders and their knights dismounted and stood in the center of the phalanx. A detachment of Ypres townspeople lined up against the castle with the task of repelling an attack by the French garrison. A detachment under the command of an experienced knight was assigned to the reserve. Thus, the battle formation had tactical depth, and its flanks abutted natural obstacles. The warriors received orders to hit the knight's horses.

A few days French the army stood indecisive one kilometer south of Courtray. D'Artois understood that the enemy occupied a strong position. Nevertheless, at dawn on July 11, 1302, he moved his army east, intending to attack the Flemings and release the castle. “The tightness of the position,” A. Puzyrevsky pointed out, “did not allow all 10 battles or individual detachments into which the army was divided stretched out into one battle line, and the troops (not counting the infantry) were located in three lines. Ahead of the front there were 10 thousand Lombard crossbowmen and bidals (dart throwers - Author), who served as scouts for the cavalry." (Puzyrevsky A. Op. op. p. 21.)

At the same time, a detachment of Ypres townspeople repelled an attack by the castle garrison.

The Flemings inflicted a complete defeat on the French army. The French cavalry alone killed about 4 thousand people. The winners took 700 golden spurs from the killed knights and hung them in the church in memory of this victory. Therefore, the battle of Courtrai was called the “Battle of the Golden Spurs”.

The political result of the victory at Courtray was that the well-organized infantry of the Flemish townspeople and peasants, defending their freedom and independence, completely defeated the knightly cavalry of the conquerors. The French were forced to withdraw from Flanders. Philip IV, having abandoned its conquest, was able to retain only a few southern cities.

The moral significance of the victory was so great that after it, one Fleming on foot with a godendag was ready to fight with two mounted knights.

From a military-historical point of view, the Battle of Courtrai is interesting in that it represents one of the rather rare examples of a defensive battle: for the first time in the Middle Ages, united masses of infantry successfully resisted the knightly cavalry, counterattacked it, and won a decisive victory.

Materials used from the book: “One Hundred Great Battles”, M. “Veche”, 2002.

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The whole world in the 14th century (chronological table).

France in the 14th century (chronological table).

Literature

1. Military encyclopedia. -SPb., Publishing house I.D. Sytin, 1914. -T.14. - pp. 422-424.

2. Military encyclopedic lexicon, published by the Society of Military and Writers. - Ed. 2nd. - In the 14th volume - St. Petersburg, 1855. - T.7. - pp. 588-591.

3. Geisman P.A. History of military art in the Middle and New Ages (Vl-XVIII centuries). - Ed. 2nd. - St. Petersburg, 1907.

4. Delbrück G. History of military art within the framework of political history. - T.Z. Middle Ages. - St. Petersburg, 1996. P. 267-331.

5. Elchaninov A.G. History of military art from ancient times to Bonaparte. - Lithogr. notes. - St. Petersburg, 1908.

6. History of France: In 3 volumes / Ch. ed. A.3. Manfred. - M., 1972. - T. 1.-S. 122-123.

7. Puzyrevsky A.K. History of military art in the Middle Ages (V-XVI centuries). - St. Petersburg, 1884. - 4.11. - P. 18-26.

8. Razin E.A. History of military art. - St. Petersburg, 1994. - T.2. - pp. 432-436.

9. Ryustov F.V. History of the infantry. - T.I-2 // Military Library. - T.XV. - St. Petersburg, 1876.

10. Soviet military encyclopedia: In the 8th volume / Ch. ed. commission N.V. Ogarkov (prev.) and others - M., 1977. - T.4. - pp. 541-542.

11. Encyclopedia of military and maritime sciences: In the 8th volume / edited by. ed. G.A. Leera. - St. Petersburg, 1889. - T.4. - pp. 470-471.

Battle of Courtrai or Battle of the Spurs(Dutch. De Guldensporenslag, French bataille des éperons d'or) - the battle of the Flemings with the French army on July 11, 1302 near the city of Courtray during the Flemish Uprising of 1302.

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Background

In June 1297, the French invaded Flanders and were able to achieve some success. England, busy at war with Scotland, was unable to help, and the Flemings signed a truce in 1297 with the French. In January 1300 (after the end of the treaty) the French re-entered the county, and by May they were in complete control. Dampierre was arrested and taken to Paris, and Philip personally visited Flanders to carry out administrative changes.

After the king's departure on May 18, 1302, the townspeople of Bruges launched a revolt against the French governor of Flanders, Jacques de Chatillon, known as the Bruges Matins. Jean I and Guy de Namur took command of the rebels, since Guy de Dampierre remained in prison. The rebels controlled the county with the exception of Ghent, Courtray and Cassel (which supported the king). Most of the nobility took the side of the French king, fearing the rise of the common people to power.

Strengths of the parties

The French army, commanded by Count Robert of Artois, consisted of: 1000 crossbowmen (the majority were natives of Lombardy), 2000 spearmen and 3000 infantry (both French and mercenary from Lombardy, Navarre and Spain) and 2700 noble cavalry, divided into three parts .

The Flemish Army had contingents from:

Bruges (2600 - 3700 people, including 320 crossbowmen).
Chatels Brugse Vrije east of Bruges (2500 people led by the son of Guy de Dampierre).
Ypres (1000 people, half were in reserve with John III Van Renesse).
East Flanders (2,500 men)

Battle

Flemish forces united at Courtray on June 26, after which they besieged the castle with a French garrison, and prepared for the upcoming battle. The castle could not be taken before the main enemy army arrived, and the two forces clashed on 11 July in an open field near the town, next to the Groninge stream.

The field was crossed by numerous ditches and streams, dug by Flemish soldiers, who covered part of what had been dug with mud and branches. In such conditions, the effectiveness of the cavalry was less; the servants sent to build the crossing were destroyed ahead of time. The Flemish position was a square, covered from the rear by the Lys River, with its front part facing the French army and located behind the large rivers.

The French infantry began to advance and managed to cross the rivers and achieve some success, although they were unable to push back the Flemish front line. Robert Artois impatiently ordered the infantry to give way to the cavalry. Its advance was much more complicated by the natural landscape, against which the Flemish infantry launched an attack. Many knights were knocked out and finished off by the godendags while trying to break the chain of spearmen; the horsemen who escaped from the encirclement were subsequently destroyed on the flanks.

Consequences

The battle soon became known as the "Battle of Courtrai" or "Battle of the Golden Spurs", due to the 700 pairs of spurs that were captured as trophies and hung in the nearby Church of Our Lady.

The French managed to change the current situation with two victories in 1304: in the naval battle of Zerikzee and the land battle of Mons-en-Pevele. In June 1305, the negotiations culminated in the Treaty of Hatis, according to which Flanders was recognized as an integral part of France in the form of a county, in exchange the Flemings agreed to pay 20,000 pounds and 400,000 pounds in reparations and transferred a number of cities to the king.

The defeat of the French knighthood at Courtrai made a great impression on his contemporaries. In particular, the Florentine historian Giovanni Villani reported in his “New Chronicle”:

In total, the French lost more than six thousand knights and countless infantry killed, but did not take anyone prisoner... After this defeat, the honor and glory of the ancient nobility and courage of the French was greatly diminished, for the flower of world knighthood was defeated and humiliated by its own subjects, the noblest people in the world - weavers, fullers, workers in low crafts and occupations. They were so alien to military affairs that, out of contempt for their cowardice, other peoples of the world called the Flemings “fat rabbits.” But after these victories, respect for them became so high that one Fleming on foot with a godendak in his hand was worth two French knights.

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Literature

// Military Encyclopedia: [in 18 volumes] / ed.

Courtrai 1302. Bruges Matins and the Battle of Courtrai. Commoners versus knights. Unequal forces and morale

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