Pieter de Coninck

Pieter de Coninck (died 1332 or 1333) was a weaver from

Bruges Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...

well known for his role in the events surrounding the

Battle of the Golden Spurs The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...

. He was not the head of the weavers' guild as is popularly believed (mostly because he was portrayed as such in the novel '' The Lion of Flanders'' by Hendrik Conscience). Together with Jan Breydel, a butcher, he was in the forefront of the popular uprising that led to the Battle of the Golden Spurs. Right before that battle he was

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

ed together with two of his sons. Before the Battle of the Golden Spurs began he was seen by the city government of

as a dangerous oproerkraaier and was imprisoned in June 1301. He was freed by the people of Bruges. Afterwards, the ''Leliaarts'', a political faction supporting French rule, took over control of the city.

Jacques de Châtillon Jacques de Châtillon or James of Châtillon (died 11 July 1302) was Lord of Leuze, of Condé, of Carency, of Huquoy and of Aubigny, the son of Guy III, Count of Saint-Pol and Matilda of Brabant. He married Catherine of Condé and had issue. K ...

, the then appointed

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

County of Flanders The County of Flanders was a historic territory in the Low Countries. From 862 onwards, the counts of Flanders were among the original twelve peers of the Kingdom of France. For centuries, their estates around the cities of Ghent, Bruges a ...

, entered Bruges with a small force and de Coninck was banished. Urged on by

John I, Marquis of Namur John I (1267 – 31 January 1330) was the count of Namur from 1305 to 1330. He was a member of the House of Dampierre, the son of Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders and Marquis of Namur, and his second wife Isabelle of Luxembourg. John was the ...

, de Coninck restored his authority in Bruges in December 1301. He tried to align the people of

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded i ...

on the same side but failed. On 1 May 1302 he was one of the leaders of a gang of rebels who took the

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

of Sijsele and Male. At Male, the rebels killed the entire French garrison. De Châtillon responded by again marching on Bruges with a force of 800 men, and again expelling de Coninck from the city. De Châtillon marched into the city with his army fully clad and battle-ready (against established agreements with the city magistrates) The people of Bruges, fearing bloody preprisals, and in order to protect themselves helped de Coninck to enter the city with his followers during the night. On 18 May 1302, during the so-called

Bruges Matins The Matins of Bruges ( nl, Brugse Metten) was the nocturnal massacre of the French garrison in Bruges and their supporters, a political faction in favour of French rule, on 18 May 1302 by the members of the local Flemish militia. It has been ...

or "''Brugse Metten''", nearly all the French present in Bruges and their ''Leliaart'' supporters were killed. De Châtillon barely managed to escape. After the Bruges Matins, de Coninck was one of the leaders of the Bruges militia that cleared the coastal area from ''Leliaart'' insurgents and French stragglers. After they failed to take the besieged castle of Cassel, they marched onto

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It is the capital and larg ...

(Courtrai) where a Flemish makeshift army was gathering to stop a French army under the command of

Robert II of Artois Robert II (September 1250 – 11 July 1302) was the Count of Artois, the posthumous son and heir of Robert I and Matilda of Brabant. He was a nephew of Louis IX of France. He died at the Battle of the Golden Spurs. Life An experienced soldier, ...

. This battle, won by a motley alliance of Flemish and Namur petty nobles and many commoners, was later famously called the

. In 1309, together with Jan Breydel and

Jan Heem Jan Heem (end 13th century – beginning 14th century) was a Flemish craftsman and politician. He was co-leader of the Bruges Matins massacre of 1302Verbruggen, J, & Falter, R. (2002) 1302: Opstand in Vlaanderen. . but does not appear with Jan Br ...

, he led a new uprising in Bruges, this time against the adverse effects (for Flanders) of the peace of Athis-sur-Orge (1305). In 1321 he again took part in an uprising in Bruges. As a punishment all his possessions were confiscated and sold. Pieter de Coninck was married twice. He died in 1332 or 1333. Together with Jan Breydel he has a statue on the market of Bruges. It was put up in 1887. {{DEFAULTSORT:Coninck, Pieter de 1333 deaths Military personnel from Bruges Revolts involving Flanders Year of birth unknown 14th-century people from the county of Flanders