Today, Flanders remembers the battle in 1302 at the Groeningeveld at Kortrijk between a Flemish people's army and the troops of the French king. July 11 has become the national holiday of Flanders, although unlike the Belgian national holiday on July 21, it is not a public holiday.
Flanders had allied itself with England from which it imported wool for its emerging textile industry in the cities of Brugge, Gent and Ieper. But France and England were at war since 1294 and the French king decided to teach Flanders a lesson – or so he thought. Initially he succeeded, but after increasing taxes, the people of Gent and Brugge rebelled and killed the troops of the feudal lord. A French army of 8,500 under the leadership of Robert II of Artois thereafter invaded Flanders, but was routed on July 11 at the Groeningeveld. The Flemish decided not to take any prisoners, although a feudal lord taken prisoner could reap a handsome ransom. The French army was massacred.
It was an epic victory for Flanders, still commemorated today.
On this July 11, 2007 there is still no new Belgian government. Yves Leterme is waiting in the wings to become prime minister, but he is almost certain to again cave in to the French-speaking parties in order to be able to form a government. Leterme has been minister-president of the Flemish regional government and justified his transfer to the federal level by the argument that only on the federal level further powers could be transferred to the regions to enable them to pursue good governance practices. It will soon become clear enough whether he succeeds in transferring more power to the Flemish regional government. Don't bet on it.
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