Why is the Flemish holiday celebrated on 11 July?

Today we commemorate a battle that is now known as the Battle of the Golden Spurs.  That’s largely thanks to writer Hendrik Conscience. But until 1838, when Conscience published his historical novel "The Lion of Flanders", the battle had for centuries been known as the Battle of Kortrijk. This medieval battle was a battle between the French army and a collection of soldiers gathered around Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders.

The battle was the result of a conflict between Guy of Dampierre’s County of Flanders and the French kingdom under Philip the Handsome.  It was a conflict about power and influence in what was then a wealthy Flanders. This conflict had several causes. In the first place, it was a social struggle, explains historian Jan Dumolyn.

Thanks to the textile industry, the economy of the southern Netherlands was booming during the century before the Battle of the Golden Spurs. This not only increased the size of Flemish towns, but also social contrasts. "The textile workers had no power, no political say, and that led to protests," says Jan Dumolyn as he looks back on those turbulent times.

Long story short: on the morning of 11 July 1302, the French were preparing to defeat the Flemings and their allies, but the French army suffered an unexpected thrashing. The 8,000-strong French army, including 3,000 knights on horseback, was ingloriously defeated by an army of some 8,000 men.

The French horses got bogged down in the swampy ground of Kortrijk and faced Flemish soldiers on foot.  It was the first time that a popular army of ordinary people was victorious against the largest army of knights in Europe.

Why do we commemorate this day?

In the centuries that followed, the historical battle disappeared from the collective memory until Belgium gained independence in 1830. The young country then desperately needed symbols to form its own identity.

That is how Belgium rediscovered the Battle of the Golden Spurs as a symbol of the pursuit of independence. In 1836, Nicaise De Keyser painted "The Battle of the Golden Spurs". It inspired author Hendrik Conscience to write his historical novel "The Lion of Flanders" in 1838. These works romanticised and mythologised impossible victory and it began to become part of the collective memory in Belgium.

During the 20th century, Conscience and "The Lion of Flanders" were also increasingly used to shape Flemish identity.

Towards the end of World War I, 11 July increasingly became a symbol of the Flemish Emancipation Movement, and after World War II it claimed the legacy of the Battle of the Golden Spurs.

It would eventually take until 1973, exactly 50 years ago, before 11 July was declared a Flemish holiday, a decision by the Dutch Cultural Community, the forerunner of the Flemish government. At the same time, the Lion Flag was declared the official flag of Flanders and "De Vlaamse Leeuw" was established as the national anthem.

What do the festivities entail?

Under the umbrella "Vlaanderen feest" (Flanders celebrates), the celebration of the Flemish holiday has today grown into an eleven-day period of celebrations ending on 11 July. In the run-up to 11 July, local Flemish community celebrations are held.

On the day itself, the president of the Flemish Parliament traditionally delivers an 11 July speech at Brussels City Hall. Later in the day, the Flemish government presents the Flemish Community's medals of honour to deserving citizens. Besides the official celebrations at Brussels city hall, there are many places to enjoy music, dancing and other festivities.

Although 11 July is a recognised public holiday, it is not a paid holiday for all Flemish people. Only for Flemish civil servants and certain sectors will remunerate working on this holiday in some way. Three years ago the federal government's coalition agreement stipulated that the federated states would be given the option to make their public holidays a paid holiday, but unfortunately to this day no headway has been made on this.