1323–1326: Rebellion in Flanders, Zannekin, and the Peace of Arques

Flanders remains a focal point of instability. After the diplomatic compromise found under Philip V, the situation deteriorates: the loyalty of the count and the Flemish social order are contested, which also threatens the feudal balance of the Kingdom of France.

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🧨 1323: A Peasant Rebellion

In 1323, a peasant rebellion led by Nicolaas Zannekin breaks out. Count Louis I of Flanders is even imprisoned at Bruges. In the short term, Charles IV may seem indifferent: the weakening of the count serves the crown.

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⚖️ 1325: Feudal Order in Danger

In 1325, the situation worsens: the rebellion prevents payment of sums owed to the king and represents a broader threat to feudal order. Charles IV declares the rebels guilty of high treason, requests their excommunication, and mobilizes forces.

But the king is absorbed by the Gascony crisis: he cannot conduct all interventions on multiple fronts.

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🕊️ 1326: Peace of Arques

The monarchy ultimately favors a negotiated solution: the rebellion is settled by the Peace of Arques (1326). The episode reveals an enduring problem: Flanders is indispensable to commerce and powerful enough to resist injunctions, which forces Paris to alternate between pressure and compromise.

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🧠 Key Points to Remember

• 1323–1326: A major social rebellion destabilizes Flanders.
• Charles IV hesitates between political opportunity and defense of feudal order.
• Gascony diverts the king’s military attention.