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1323-6: Flanders
1323-1326: THE GOLDEN LION OF FLANDERS AND NEVERS
"Louis Dampierre would succeed to the Counties of Nevers and Flanders in the course of a single year, following the deaths of his father and grandfather. Young, handsome, and above all a dedicated Francophile, he would come to rule in Flanders a land that had frequently seen itself as a realm apart from France--even an enemy to France. The results would be explosive.
"In less than a year of Louis becoming Count of Flanders, revolts had started. Part of this was due to the exceptionally poor harvest that year, but another cause was the Count's severe raising of taxes in the cities, threatening the livelihood of the entire region. It was the first worrisome sign of Louis' great flaw as a ruler, an inability to understand the needs of the greatest province under his command. He would not even come to Flanders until the beginning of 1324, at which point the rebellion was well established, under the leadership of Willem de Deken, the mayor of Bruges, and formerly well-to-do smallholders like Jacques Peyte and Nicholas Zannekin. Lacking an army, Louis attemped negotiation, promising to deal with the rebels' complaints. A rough treaty was made, and the matter seemed to be resolving.
"Then the very next year, Louis destroyed whatever good will remained by hamfistedly attempting to arrest six Bruges' burghers. The rebels took to arms again, managing to seize the Count himself. For the next six months, he was their captive, with Flanders under the rule of Louis' uncle Robert--by this time, almost wholly in the rebels' camp. For a brief time, with France preoccupied by matters with England, it truly looked as if victory was in the rebels' grasp.
"Instead it all slipped away. England's swift defeat was followed by excommunication for the rebellious Flemings. While Charles of Valois' death kept him from bringing his plans to 'break this rabble lot' to fruition, his son's speedy ascent to the office of Regent kept the threat up. Louis was released shortly before Christmas, and following this, swore to forgive Bruges and the rebels. The ban was lifted. Another treaty was put in place, with both sides swearing to keep it.
"It would last just over a year.[1]"
This Tumultuous Age: The Revolts and Upheavals of the 14th Century, Elizabeth Eckermann (1976)
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[1] And yes, this is all roughly OTL. Louis of Nevers truly was terrible at handling Flanders.
"Louis Dampierre would succeed to the Counties of Nevers and Flanders in the course of a single year, following the deaths of his father and grandfather. Young, handsome, and above all a dedicated Francophile, he would come to rule in Flanders a land that had frequently seen itself as a realm apart from France--even an enemy to France. The results would be explosive.
"In less than a year of Louis becoming Count of Flanders, revolts had started. Part of this was due to the exceptionally poor harvest that year, but another cause was the Count's severe raising of taxes in the cities, threatening the livelihood of the entire region. It was the first worrisome sign of Louis' great flaw as a ruler, an inability to understand the needs of the greatest province under his command. He would not even come to Flanders until the beginning of 1324, at which point the rebellion was well established, under the leadership of Willem de Deken, the mayor of Bruges, and formerly well-to-do smallholders like Jacques Peyte and Nicholas Zannekin. Lacking an army, Louis attemped negotiation, promising to deal with the rebels' complaints. A rough treaty was made, and the matter seemed to be resolving.
"Then the very next year, Louis destroyed whatever good will remained by hamfistedly attempting to arrest six Bruges' burghers. The rebels took to arms again, managing to seize the Count himself. For the next six months, he was their captive, with Flanders under the rule of Louis' uncle Robert--by this time, almost wholly in the rebels' camp. For a brief time, with France preoccupied by matters with England, it truly looked as if victory was in the rebels' grasp.
"Instead it all slipped away. England's swift defeat was followed by excommunication for the rebellious Flemings. While Charles of Valois' death kept him from bringing his plans to 'break this rabble lot' to fruition, his son's speedy ascent to the office of Regent kept the threat up. Louis was released shortly before Christmas, and following this, swore to forgive Bruges and the rebels. The ban was lifted. Another treaty was put in place, with both sides swearing to keep it.
"It would last just over a year.[1]"
This Tumultuous Age: The Revolts and Upheavals of the 14th Century, Elizabeth Eckermann (1976)
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[1] And yes, this is all roughly OTL. Louis of Nevers truly was terrible at handling Flanders.
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