Nicolaas Zannekin (died 23 August 1328), was a Flemish peasant leader, best known for his role in a

peasant revolt This is a chronological list of conflicts in which peasants played a significant role. Background The history of peasant wars spans over two thousand years. A variety of factors fueled the emergence of the peasant revolt phenomenon, including: ...

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-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, ...

from 1323 to 1328. Nicolaas Zannekin was a rich farmer from Lampernisse. During the early 14th century AD, Zannekin served as leader of the revolt in coastal Flanders against the oppressive tax policy of the

Count of Flanders The count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders, beginning in the 9th century. Later, the title would be held for a time, by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. During the French Revolution, in 1790, the co ...

Louis of Nevers. Zannekin and his men captured the towns of Nieuwpoort, Veurne,

Ypres Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality co ...

and

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Regio ...

. In Kortrijk, Zannekin was able to capture the Count himself. In 1325 attempts to capture

Gent Gent is a shortened form of the word gentleman. It may also refer to: * Ghent (Dutch: Gent), a Belgian city ** K.A.A. Gent, a football club from Ghent ** K.R.C. Gent, a football club from Ghent ** Gent RFC, a rugby club in Ghent ** .gent, a ...

and Oudenaarde failed. The King of France, Charles IV of France intervened whereupon Louis was released from captivity in February 1326 and the ''Peace of Arques'' was sealed. In 1328 hostilities erupted again and the Count fled to France. Louis was able to convince the new king

Philip VI of France Philip VI (french: Philippe; 1293 – 22 August 1350), called the Fortunate (french: le Fortuné, link=no) or the Catholic (french: le Catholique, link=no) and of Valois, was the first king of France from the House of Valois, reigning from 1328 ...

to come to his aid and Zannekin and his followers were decisively defeated by the French royal army in the

Battle of Cassel (1328) On 23 August 1328, the Battle of Cassel took place near the city of Cassel, 30 km south of Dunkirk in present-day France. Philip VI (King of France from 1328 to 1350) fought Nicolaas Zannekin, a wealthy farmer from Lampernisse. Zannek ...

, where Zannekin himself was killed.

References

External links

* 1328 deaths Revolts involving Flanders Military personnel killed in action Flemish activists People from Diksmuide Year of birth unknown 14th-century people from the county of Flanders {{activist-stub