The Lion Of Flanders Or The Battle Of The Golden Spurs

The Lion of Flanders is an historical novel, relating the Flemish struggle for freedom against France in the medieval times.

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The Franco-Flemish region of medieval Flanders was a locus of important trade routes in the 13th and 14th centuries. Located in a prime position between the Holy Roman Empire and the North Sea (present-day northern Belgium), the urban centers of the region were surpassed in population only by the city-states of central and northern Italy. This positioning afforded the Flemish citizens of the region great prosperity and they formed guilds to protect their rights, regulate their working hours and standardize their wages. These guilds produced a cohesive unit of people eager to retain the rights they had gained. In 1302, French cavalry faced the determined Flemish soldiers on foot at Kortrijk (Courtrai). This book analyzes the battle that ensued, its origins, consequences and legacy. It also examines the everyday lives of the inhabitants of Flanders; urban dwellers, knights, nobles, women and others. This is the first major English-language study of the historic 14th century battle between the French and the Flemish, a conflict whose repercussions linger in modern Belgium. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Flemish townspeople defeat the cream of French nobility, and explode the myth of knightly invincibility for ever. Discussion of bias in sources and difficulties of interpretation preface careful account of what actually happened during the three-hour battle. On 11 July 1302, below the town walls of Courtrai, the most splendid army of knights in Christendom, the flower of the French nobility, was utterly defeated by Flemish rebels, common workers and peasants. The French knights, products of a lifetime's training, were ably led; but so too were the Courtrai townspeople, in addition to being well-armed, and their victory, despite their lack of military skills (and golden spurs), put an end to the enduring myth of the invincibility of the knight. A French explanation of the terrible defeat was immediately given, intended to save the honour and pride of the French nobility; in Flanders the victory was glorified as a just reward for the bravery of the townsmen and the competence of their commanders. Unfortunately there were no impartial witnesses. Any account of the battle must therefore pay careful attention to the personalities of the chroniclers, their nationality, and their political and social leanings, as well as their personal sympathies. Verbruggen's study is prefaced by discussion of the problems of reconstruction and extensive consideration of the sources, showing the difficultiesfaced by medieval military historians in attempts to interpret them. He then offers his own account of the events of that dramatic day, a case study in the reconstruction of events in one of the greatest battles of the middle ages.J.F. VERBRUGGEN lectured at the Royal Military School in Brussels, and then taught in Africa, retiring as Professor of History, University of Congo, and University of Bujumbura (Burundi). He is also the author of The Art ofWarfare in Western Europe. Originally published in Dutch in 1954, translated and updated.

This comprehensive survey of ethnic groups of Europe reveals the dynamic process of ethnic identity and the relationship of ethnic groups to modern states. Part of a five-volume series on ethnic groups around the world, Ethnic Groups of Europe: An Encyclopedia provides detailed descriptions of more than 100 European ethnic and national groups. Each entry provides an overview of the group as well as in-depth information on the group's origins and early history, cultural life, and recent developments. Among the information presented for each group are global and national population figures and accounts of geographical distribution, diaspora populations, the group's historic homeland, predominant religions and languages, and related groups. The entries also highlight places, people, and events of particular importance to each group, and sidebars introduce related topics of interest. Throughout the text, special attention is focused on the relationship between ethnicity and nationalism. An explanation of the methodology used for selecting the ethnic groups in the encyclopedia is also provided, as is an introductory essay on the topic of ethnicity in Europe.