Courtrai Chest

The Chest of Courtrai (French for Kortrijk), also known as the Chest of Oxford, is an oak chest dating to the Middle Ages. The chest was discovered around 1909 in New College, Oxford. On the front of the chest are carved scenes of the Battle of the Golden Spurs and the Bruges Matins from the Franco-Flemish War. The chest is among the few surviving contemporary depictions of the events themselves. It is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

The maker of the chest is unknown, although it is assumed that he was Flemish, and that, based upon all the details found on the scenes, he had fought in the battle himself. The processed front measures 107 cm by 71 cm.

Scenes

• 
  The Bruges Matins
• 
  Arrival of Guy of Namur and William of Jülich at Bruges
• 
  Siege of Wijnendale Castle
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  Line-up of the town militias on the battlefield
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  The Flemish line of battle during the Battle of the Golden Spurs
• 
  The attack of a French garrison at Courtrai
• 
  Collection of the booty: the Golden Spurs

See also

• Annals of Ghent

Bibliography

Ffoulkes, Charles (July 1912). "Carved Chest at New College, Oxford". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. 21 (112): 240–1. JSTOR 859053.