Why did the French king attempt to annex Flanders around 1300?

The French king’s attempt to annex Flanders around 1300 was driven by a long-standing desire to increase royal influence and territorial control over the region. Throughout the 13th century, French monarchs sought to exert authority over the county, often intervening in local succession disputes and supporting urban patricians against the counts of Flanders.1

King Philip IV, who had already successfully expanded his territory in Champagne and Gascony, aimed to incorporate Flanders into his kingdom through military invasion. He was encouraged in this effort by patrician partisans within the Flemish cities who favored French support over the authority of their own counts. By 1300, this campaign of annexation was nearly complete, with Count Guy of Dampierre taken prisoner. However, the attempt to fully secure the region was ultimately thwarted by a popular uprising and the subsequent victory of the Flemish infantry over French forces at the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.123