The Legend of Bouvines: War, Religion and Culture in the Middle Ages

On Sunday, 27 July 1214, thousands of warriors plunged into battle near the bridge of Bouvines in Flanders. They were led by the kings of Germany and France. Entrusted by God to maintain the order of the world, they dared nevertheless to disobey the prescriptions of the church and to call their men to arms on the day of the Lord. And the victory granted to the King of France is a legend that has been retold to the present day. In this work Georges Duby, the French historian of medieval Europe, focuses on the battle of Bouvines and treats this dramatic event as a point of entry into medieval society and culture. He describes this major battle in vivid detail, places it within the broader political, social and cultural context and examines the ways in which the battle has been recreated in myths and legends, both in the Middle Ages and in modern times.