large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_39_guerber_64kb_4
large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_39_guerber_64kb
English
11381
Philip might have ended the war with Flanders sooner, had not some of his energies been diverted by a quarrel with the Pope. The Pope issued a " Bull " (a papal decree) to reprove the king, and Philip retorted with a proclamation in which he openly defied the Pope. PHILIPPE MIGHT HAVE ENDED THE WAR WITH FLANDERS SOONER HAD NOT SOME OF HIS ENERGIES BEEN DIVERTED BY A QUARREL WITH THE POPE THE POPE ISSUED A BULL A PAPAL DECREE TO REPROVE THE KING AND PHILIP RETORTED WITH A PROCLAMATION IN WHICH HE OPENLY DEFIED THE POPE
t the enemy at Courtrai (koor-tre', 1302). There the famous encounter known as the "Battle of the Spurs" was fought. The French knights, seeing nothing but common soldiers before them, spurred on in such eager haste to attack and destroy them, that they failed to notice a deep ditch lying between them and the foe. Their horses, plunging madly into this gap, threw disorder in the ranks, and the enemy, standing on the opposite bank, easily slew them while they were trying to scramble out of this awkward place. Such was the number of Flemings who suddenly appeared on all sides to take part in this fight, that Philip exclaimed in dismay : " Does it then rain Flemings ? " The Flemings were so proud of the victory won at Courtrai, that they hung up in the cathedral of that city seven thousand spurs taken from their dead foemen. uigitizea oy vjiOOQlC PHILIP IV. (1285-1314) 141 There these trophies remained until the French came back, some time later, and avenged the death of their countrymen. MED TO PUNISH FLANDERS AND PHILIPPE SET OUT AT THE HEAD OF LARGE FORCES TO MEET THE ENEMY AT COURTRAY THIRTEEN O TWO THERE THE FAMOUS ENCOUNTER KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE SPURS WAS FOUGHT THE FRENCH KNIGHTS SEEING NOTHING BUT COMMON SOLDIERS BEFORE THEM SPURRED ON IN SUCH EAGER HASTE TO ATTACK AND DESTROY THEM THAT THEY FAILED TO NOTICE A DEEP DITCH LYING BETWEEN THEM AND THE FOE THEIR HORSES PLUNGING MADLY INTO THIS GAP THREW DISORDER IN THE RANKS AND THE ENEMY STANDING ON THE OPPOSITE BANK EASILY SLEW THEM WHILE THEY WERE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE OUT OF THIS AWKWARD PLACE SUCH WAS THE NUMBER OF FLEMINGS WHO SUDDENLY APPEARED ON ALL SIDES TO TAKE PART IN THIS FIGHT THAT PHILIPPE EXCLAIMED IN DISMAY DOES IT THEN RAIN FLEMINGS THE FLEMINGS WERE SO PROUD OF THE VICTORY WON AT COURTRAY THAT THEY HUNG UP IN THE CATHEDRAL OF THAT CITY SEVEN THOUSAND SPURS TAKEN FROM THEIR DEAD FOEMEN THERE THESE TROPHIES REMAINED UNTIL THE FRENCH CAME BACK SOME TIME LATER AND AVENGED THE DEATH OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN
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