Battle of the Golden Spurs

The Battle of the Golden Spurs or Battle of Kortrijk was a battle wich took place outside the City Walls of Kortrijk in Flanders on the Groeninge Field in 1302. A Flemish infantery army defeated to all surprise a French and patrician Flemish cavalry army. It is so named for the spurs supposedly taken from the dead French knights on the battle field. The cities of Flanders (Bruges, Ghent and Ieper (Ypres)) rebelled against the occupying French and gained more freedom. The Flemish infantery army could win against the French cavalry army because of the marshy terrain around the Kortrijk Castle where the battle was fought. This victory ended the threat of French annexation and garantied the Flemish independence.