Book Details

The Battle of the Golden Spurs (Courtrai, 11 July 1302): A Contribution to the History of Flanders' War of Liberation, 1297-1305

It is not surprising that immediately following the events a French explanation of the terrible defeat arose that was intended to save the honour and glory of French nobility. In Flanders the great victory was glorified and presented as a just reward for the boldness of the townsmen and the competence of the commanders. Unfortunately there were no impartial witnesses; and any account of the battle must pay careful attention to the personalities of the various chroniclers, to their nationality, political and social conceptions as well as to their personal sympathies. Even modern scholars do not completely avoid such influences when discussing the importance of the battle and judging its political effects.

J.F.Verbruggen's masterly study of the battle not only presents an narrative of the actual events, but studies the problems involved in such a reconstruction, showing the kind of difficulties which the medieval military historian faces. He begins with an extensive discussions of the sources, and of the subsequent attempts to interpret them, before proceeding to offer his own account of the events of that dramatic day, which must rank as one of the greatest battles of the middle ages.

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