C'est la Guerre - Parade Ground

[Countship of Artois
Seigneury of Avesnes
Countship of Flanders
Countship of Hainaut]

The Countship of Artois consists of the extreme northern portion of France on the Belgium border, although the extreme extreme portion is actually in Flanders. It includes the battlefield of Agincourt. I really like this shield, although those yellow splotches on the red label are supposed to be castles. Yeah, right. At some point in my painting career I realized that, for some things, you only had to give the impression that, maybe if you looked closely enough, the detail could conceivably resolve to what it was supposed to be, only no one ever really looks that closely. Also this shield only represented Artois until 1347, after which it turned into a monstrosity. (The shield of Ponthieu in two quarters, that of Bourgogne in the other two, then the shield of Flanders slapped on top for good measure. Nobles who devised shields like those ought to have been shot, or at the very least crossbowed.) This no doubt had something to do with the current title holder - Philip I of Burgundy - who was both duke of Burgundy and Count of Artois.

The Seigneury of Avesnes is located near they Belgium border about halfway between the coast and Luxembourg. It lies within the countship of Hainaut. Until 1354 the Avesnes dynasty were rulers of Hainaut.

The Countship of Flanders occupies land in both France and Belgium that borders the Channel. In 1358 it was held by Louis III de Male, who was also count of Nevers and Rethel. Upon his death in 1384, Flanders became part of the holdings of Burgundy.

The Countship of Hainaut occupies the French border region with Belgium to the east of Artois. The title-holders in 1358 were Wilhelm I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, Count of Holland and Seeland, who died that year, and Albrecht I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, Count of Holland, Seeland and Hainault.