Monument of the 3 battles

Monument of the 3 battles: 1071 - 1328 - 1677

1071 | Robert I (1031-1093), known as the Frisian, married Countess Gertrude of Saxony, a bellicose claimant to the County of Flanders, following the death of his brother Baudouin VI (1030-1070), known as Baudouin the Good, Count of Flanders. He defeated on February 20, 1071, at Bavinchove, at the foot of Mont Cassel, the coalition formed around the two sons of Baudouin VI; Arnoul III (1054-1071), known as the Unfortunate, Count of Flanders from 1070 to 1071, and his younger brother Baudouin II (1056-1098), Count of Hainaut, with the support of William Fitz Osbern of Crépon, known as Lord of Breteuil, and Philippe I (1052-1108), King of the Franks, son of the Capetian Henry I King of the Franks and Anne of Kiev. Victorious Robert the Frisian becomes the tenth Count of Flanders, a county now historically separate from the county of Hainaut.

1328 | Philippe VI (1293-1350) of Valois, known as the Fortunate, King of France, is called for help by Louis I (1304-1346), known as of Nevers, a French prince and husband of his daughter Marguerite, who became Count of Flanders through a "disputed" succession, and who is facing the insurrection of the main Cities of Flanders contesting his legitimacy, preferring Robert of Cassel (1278-1331), known as Lord of Warneton, his natural successor according to custom and a loyal defender of Flanders' interests. The revolt is led by Nicolas Zannekin who, with his aides Janszone and Bovyn, raises an army of 15,000 men, comprised of the militias of all the wealthy cities of Flanders, with the unfortunate exception of the city of Ghent. The Ghent militias attack Bruges, immobilizing a significant portion of its forces for the defense of the city, to the detriment of the insurgent forces who retreat to Mont Cassel. The King of France, rattled by some successive defeats he suffered at the hands of the Flemish militias, presents himself there in mass with 50,000 men, including a cavalry strong with an Ost of 29 banners! He attempts to lure the militias into the plain, who do not fall for it and surprise attack the royal camp, routing the French infantry towards Saint-Omer. The fight seems well underway as the King narrowly escapes being killed, but the imposing French cavalry regains composure and, through a flanking maneuver, encircles the area, trapping and massacring all opponents, and the city of Cassel will be set ablaze and drenched in blood. This is a significant strategic turnaround, as during the battle of Courtrai in 1302, the French cavalry had been completely massacred by the Flemish militias. The very observant observer will note that the inscription mentions: "on August 25, 1328, King Philippe of Valois victorious?" This "?" may suggest a thought and implies at least a need for further information.

1677 | The third "battle of Cassel," initiated by the French royalty and aimed at capturing the city of Saint-Omer from Prince William III (1650-1702) of Orange from the United Provinces of the Netherlands, is actually the "Battle of the Peene," commemorated by a stele erected in Noordpeene, the exact location of the battle situated at the edge of the Audomarois marsh and the "Peenebeek" river flowing into the right bank of the Yser river. We invite you to visit the House of the Battle, dedicated to it, to better inform yourself about the belligerents. This Flemish region, historically coveted by France, rich in the strategic port of Dunkirk, thus became French through annexation and will form Nord-Pas-de-Calais.

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