Histoire de Flandre (T. 2/4)

In the early fourteenth‑century, the bustling city of Bruges finds itself at the crossroads of loyalty and rebellion. When French forces briefly occupy the town, the local guilds roar against the humiliation imposed upon them, and a modest, one‑eyed weaver named Pierre Coning emerges as their unlikely champion. Though rough‑shod and barely literate in French, Coning’s fiery speeches in Flemish rally the craftsmen, and his daring defiance—leading to the mass breakout of detained guild leaders—sets the city’s unrest ablaze.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed governor, Jacques de Châtillon, watches from a cautious distance, amassing reinforcements while the townspeople brace for further conflict. As tensions mount, wise mediators intervene, negotiating an exile for those who confessed to the uprisings, and prompting Coning’s temporary departure. With the French authority restored, Châtillon orders the demolition of Bruges’ newly built fortifications, a move that deepens resentment and hints at a looming, blood‑stained struggle for the city’s freedom.