What happened during the Matins of Brugge in 1302?

The term "Matins of Brugge" (or the Bruges Matins) refers to a violent uprising that occurred in Brugge on May 18, 1302. During this event, Flemish townspeople—driven by resistance against the occupying French forces and their local patrician allies—massacred the French garrison stationed in the city.

This insurrection was a pivotal moment in the broader conflict between the Flanders region and the French crown, which had been attempting to annex the territory under King Philip IV. The massacre served as a catalyst for the subsequent military confrontation later that summer, where an untrained Flemish infantry militia famously defeated a professional French cavalry force at the Battle of the Golden Spurs. This victory effectively checked French expansion and secured a period of political influence for the urban craft guilds.12