Abstract
This chapter retraces the historical background of the Battle of Courtrai and above all the emergence of competing myths within the French, Belgian, and Flemish historiography. Featuring an unprecedented defeat for the royal army of the French King Philip IV, most controversies have focused on the interpretation of the question why the French knights became trapped in trenches on the battlefield of Courtrai, allowing the Flemish militas to slaughter them. While eventually the Flamingard narrative of the battle as a foundational myth for the Flemish nation has been the most influential, the battle has lost some of its relevance in contemporary Belgian politics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Famous Battles and How They Shaped the Modern World |
| Subtitle of host publication | From Troy to Courtrai |
| Place of Publication | Yorkshire (Philadelphia) |
| Publisher | Pen and Sword Books |
| Pages | 121-135 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |