Medieval Flanders

Description

First published 1992 by Longman Group Limited. Cradle of northern Europe's later urban and industrial pre-eminence, medieval Flanders was a region of immense political and economic importance - and already, as so often later, the battleground of foreign powers. Yet this book is, remarkably, the first comprehensive modern history of the region. Within the framework of a clear political narrative, it presents a vivid portrait of medieval Flemish life that will be essential reading for the medievalist - and a boon for the many visitors to Bruges and Ghent eager for a better understanding of what they see. List of genealogical tables and maps viii Abbreviations ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xiv 1. The Sand that is upon the Seashore 1 Flanders under Roman rule 1 Germanic Flanders, fourth through eighth centuries 7 The formation of the county of Flanders, 600-918 13 2. The Economic Development of Early Flanders 21 Forest, field and village in early medieval Flanders 21 Trade and Towns 29 3. The Counts and the County, 918-1071 39 Arnulf the Great (918-65) 39 Arnulf II (965-88) 43 Baldwin IV (988-1035) 45 Baldwin V (1035-67) 49 4. The Apogee of Flemish Power, 1071-1206 56 Robert I 'the Frisian' (1071-93) 56 Robert II 'of Jerusalem' (1093-1111) 58 Baldwin VII (1111-19) 58 The crisis of 1127-8 62 Flanders under the Alsatian Counts (1128-91): Thierry of Alsace (1128-57/67) 70 Philip of Alsace (1157/67-91) 71 Baldwin VIII (1191-4) 74 Baldwin IX (1194-1206) 75 The government of Flanders in the twelfth century: the transition to the administrative state 77 Flemish culture before 1206 89 5. The Social and Economic Transformation of Flanders in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries 97 The agrarian economy 97 Commerce and industry 110 6. Economic Growth and Cultural Flowering in the Thirteenth Century 124 Rural economy and society in thirteenth-century Flanders 124 The Cities 128 Flemish cultural life in the thirteenth century 139 7. Foreign Trade, Diplomacy and Dependence: The Catastrophe of Medieval Flanders, 1206-74 150 Joan (1206-44) 151 Margaret (1244-78) 156 The countesses and the nobles 158 Government during the thirteenth century 161 The ties with England 164 The German trade 168 Commercial techniques 169 The Flemish textile industry 173 Signs of crisis 175 The crisis of 1270-4 176 8. A Half-Century of Crisis, 1274-1317 180 The domestic situation to 1285 180 The conflicts with the French 186 9. A Delicate Balance: The End of Dampierre Flanders, 1317-84 209 Between the abyss and the precipice 209 The government of the Flemish counts in the fourteenth century 231 Flemish culture in the fourteenth century 247 10. Economic Depression and World Economy in Flanders, 1315-84 259 The agrarian sector 259 The Flemish textile industry in the fourteenth century: competition and retrenchment 273 The directions of trade 285 Urban society 305 11. A Change of Direction: Flanders in the Burgundian State, 1384-1467 317 Philip 'the Bold' in France and Flanders (1384-1404) 318 John 'the Fearless' (1404/5-1419) 323 Philip 'the Good' (1419-67) 326 The governance of Burgundian Flanders 332 Members and quarters 334 The Burgundian state apparatus 338 Flemish culture in the Burgundian age 346 12. The Flemish Economy in the Burgundian Period: Redirection and Retrenchment 357 The agrarian economy 357 Population and poverty 367 The cities 370 International politics and the money supply 375 Overseas trade 383 13. A Burgundian Funeral and a Habsburg Epitaph: The End of Medieval Flanders, 1467-92 392 Charles the Bold (1467-77) 392 The incorporation of Flanders into the Habsburg empire 394 Bibliography 400 Genealogical tables 439 Maps 443 Index 448