Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle
The Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle (or Pevelenberg) was fought on 18 August 1304 between the French and the Flemish. The French were led by their king, Philip IV.

Prelude 
The French king wanted revenge for the defeat in Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302 after which the Flemish retook Douai and Lille. By early 1304, the French king was ready to attack the Flemish rebels. The French army, led by the king himself and by Foulques du Merle, marched north to attack William of Julich's force, and the French navy sailed to Zeeland to unite with the army of Hainault and Holland. It was the combined northern force in Zeeland that struck the first blow on 10–11 August, when it soundly defeated Guy of Namur's army and navy at the Battle of Zierikzee. Guy was captured, and the Flemish conquest of Holland was halted.

Philip of Chieti, son of Guy, Count of Flanders, had gathered a strong Flemish army to stop the French invasion and taken up positions on Mons-en-Pévèle.

Battle
After a day of fighting, the outcome was undecided and negotiations were opened between 17:00 and 18:30. When a French force, under Guy de Saint-Pol, tried to surround the Flemish, it was pushed back. The furious Flemish then decided to launch a frontal attack and surprised the French, who thought that the battle was over for the day.

The Flemish had reached the royal tent and attacked Philip IV. He escaped only because some knights around him covered his flight and paid with their lives for the act. Assisted with mounting his horse, Philip counterattacked but had his horse killed under him. By then, William of Jülich had been killed in a counterattack that Philip had managed to launch.

As only the Flemish right wing had attacked, and the left wing under John I, Marquis of Namur was already leaving the battlefield, the Flemish right wing also withdrew.

The French chose not to pursue the Flemish.

During the Flemish attack on Philip, the oriflamme, a hugely symbolic and significant flag, was lost.

Aftermath 
Both sides claimed victory. The French remained in possession of the battlefield, but the Flemish marched back to Lille. The French also captured Douai and Orchies and burned down Seclin.

After further minor battles, the Treaty of Athis-sur-Orge was eventually signed on 23 June 1305 which recognized Flemish independence at the cost of French hegemony. Fiefdom and vassalage to the Kingdom of France with the cities of Lille, Douai and Béthune, annexed by France, and of the paying of exorbitant fines and supply of troops to Philip IV of France.

Notes

References

1304 in Europe
1300s in France
Mons en Pevele
Mons en Pevele
Mons en Pevele
Mons en Pevele
Franco-Flemish War
14th century in the county of Flanders