Four Members

Last updated

The Four members (Dutch : Vier Leden) consisted of Bruges, Franc of Bruges, Ghent and Ypres gathered together in a medieval parliament. [1] Together they exercised considerable power in Flanders.

During the Hundred Years' War, Jacob van Artevelde a prominent merchant with business interests in the wool trade with England, led a revolt against Louis I, the Count of Flanders who had sided with the French. Originally, in 1339 he organised the towns of Bruges, Ghent and Ypres together as the Three Members (Dutch : Drie Leden). Then in 1386 under Philip the Bold, Franc of Bruges was added, turning the organisation into the Four Members. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flanders</span> Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium

Flanders is the Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, language, politics, and history, and sometimes involving neighbouring countries. The demonym associated with Flanders is Fleming, while the corresponding adjective is Flemish. The official capital of Flanders is the City of Brussels, although the Brussels-Capital Region that includes it has an independent regional government. The powers of the government of Flanders consist, among others, of economic affairs in the Flemish Region and the community aspects of Flanders life in Brussels, such as Flemish culture and education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip the Bold</span> Duke of Burgundy

Philip II the Bold was Duke of Burgundy and jure uxoris Count of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy. He was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob van Artevelde</span> Flemish statesman and political leader (d. 1345)

Jacob van Artevelde, sometimes written in English as James van Artvelde, also known as The Wise Man and the Brewer of Ghent, was a Flemish statesman and political leader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1323–1328 Flemish revolt</span>

The Flemish peasant revolt of 1323–1328, sometimes referred to as the Flemish Coast uprising in historical writing, was a popular revolt in late medieval Europe. Beginning as a series of scattered rural riots in late 1323, peasant insurrection escalated into a full-scale rebellion that dominated public affairs in Flanders for nearly five years until 1328. The uprising in Flanders was caused by excessive taxations levied by the Count of Flanders Louis I and by his pro-French policies. The insurrection had urban leaders and rural factions, which took over most of Flanders by 1325.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">States of Flanders</span>

The States of Flanders were a representative institution in the medieval and early modern County of Flanders. Initially it consisted only of the Third Estate, with representatives of the three cities of Bruges, Ghent and Ypres. Around 1350 the rural Liberty of Bruges also obtained representation in the States.

The Council of Flanders, primarily sitting in the Gravensteen in Ghent from 1407, was a court of law operating under the authority of the Count of Flanders and exercising jurisdiction throughout the County of Flanders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Beverhoutsveld</span>

The Battle of Beverhoutsveld took place on 3 May 1382, on a field situated between the towns of Beernem, Oostkamp and Assebroek. It marked an important phase in the rebellion of Ghent against Louis II, Count of Flanders.

The development of urban centres in the Low Countries shows the process by which the Low Countries, a region in Western Europe, evolved from a highly rural outpost of the Roman Empire into the largest urbanised area north of the Alps by the 15th century CE. As such, this article covers the development of Dutch and Flemish cities beginning at the end of the migration period till the end of the Dutch Golden Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burgundian inheritance in the Low Countries</span>

The Burgundian inheritance in the Low Countries consisted of numerous fiefs held by the Dukes of Burgundy in modern-day Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and in parts of France and Germany. The Duke of Burgundy was originally a member of the House of Valois-Burgundy and later of the House of Habsburg. Given that the Dukes of Burgundy lost Burgundy proper to the Kingdom of France in 1477, and were never able to recover it, while retaining Charolais and the Free County of Burgundy, they moved their court to the Low Countries. The Burgundian Low Countries were ultimately expanded to include Seventeen Provinces under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The Burgundian inheritance then passed to the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs under Philip II of Spain, whose rule was contested by the Dutch revolt, and fragmented into the Spanish Netherlands and the Dutch republic. Following the War of the Spanish succession, the Habsburg Netherlands passed to Austria and remained in Austrian hands until the French conquest of the late 18th century. The Bourbon Restoration did not re-establish the Burgundian states, with the former Burgundian territories remaining divided between France, the Netherlands and, following the Belgian Revolution, modern-day Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Flanders</span>

This article describes the history of Flanders. The definition of the territory called "Flanders", however, has varied throughout history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Martin's Cathedral, Ypres</span>

St Martin's Church, also called St Martin's Cathedral, is a church and former cathedral in the Belgian city of Ypres. It was a cathedral and the seat of the former diocese of Ypres from 1561 to 1801, and is still commonly referred to as such. At 102 metres (335 ft) tall, it is among the tallest buildings in Belgium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Cassel (1328)</span> 1328 battle of the Flemish Coast Uprising

On 23 August 1328, the Battle of Kassel took place near the city of Kassel, 30 km south of Duinkerke in present-day France. Philip VI fought Nicolaas Zannekin, a wealthy farmer from Lampernisse. Zannekin was the leader of a band of Flemish rebels. The fighting erupted over taxation and punitive edicts of the French over the Flemish. The battle was won decisively by the French. Zannekin and about 3,200 Flemish rebels were killed in the battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brugse Vrije</span> Part of the county of Flanders

The Brugse Vrije was a castellany in the county of Flanders, often called in English "the Franc of Bruges". It included the area around Bruges, and was bordered by the North Sea, the Westerschelde and the Yser river. The city of Bruges was separated from the castellany in 1127. Since then the city and the Vrije were considered as separate customary law areas. The Brugse Vrije was a rich agricultural region. It had its own burgrave, who was seated at the Burg, a square in Bruges, and became part of the Four Members of Flanders at the end of the 14th century, together with the three major cities of Ghent, Bruges and Ypres. The Brugse Vrije sat in the meetings of the States of Flanders.

The Gent–Wevelgem U23 / Kattekoers-Ieper is a European single day cycle race held in the Belgian region of Flanders. As of 2011, the race is organized as a 1.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The race is considered to be the under-23 verson of the Gent–Wevelgem classic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Despenser's Crusade</span> 14th-century military campaign

Despenser's Crusade was a military expedition led by the English bishop Henry le Despenser in 1383 that aimed to assist the city of Ghent in its struggle against the supporters of Antipope Clement VII. It took place during the great Papal schism and the Hundred Years' War between England and France. While France supported Clement, whose court was based in Avignon, the English supported Pope Urban VI in Rome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franco-Flemish War</span> Conflict between the Kingdom of France and the County of Flanders from 1297 to 1305

The Franco-Flemish War was a conflict between the Kingdom of France and the County of Flanders between 1297 and 1305.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish revolts against Maximilian of Austria</span> Medieval revolts against the future Maximilian I

In the period 1482–1492, the cities of the County of Flanders revolted twice against Maximilian of Austria, who ruled the county as regent for his son, Philip the Handsome. Both revolts were ultimately unsuccessful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Rythovius</span>

Martin Bauwens of Riethoven or Martinus Rythovius was a Catholic theologian and the first Bishop of Ypres. He was a figure of some spiritual and political significance during the early decades of the Dutch Revolt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvinist Republic of Ghent</span>

The Calvinist Republic of Ghent was a Calvinist republic that existed between 1577 and 1584 in the Flemish independent city of Ghent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revolt of Ghent (1379–1385)</span>

The Revolt of Ghent (1379-1385) was an uprising by the city of Ghent against the count of Flanders and the king of France. Under the leadership of successively Jan Hyoens, Philip van Artevelde and Frans Ackerman, Ghent rebelled against Count Louis II of Flanders, Duke Philip the Bold of Burgundy and King Charles VI of France. It was an expression of the growing power of the Third Estate and of economic ties with England that had been strained by the Hundred Years' War. After six years of war, Ghent submitted to the ducal authority while avoiding further punishment. The dream of an autonomous city-state failed, and the era of royal centralization continued.

References

  1. Philip the Good: the apogee of Burgundy by Richard Vaughan, p201
  2. Flanders and Hainault, accessed 22 August 2010