Battle of Roosebeke The Battle of Roosebeke ( sometimes referred to as the Battle of Westrozebeke ) took place on 27 November 1382 on the Goudberg ( golden mountain ) between a Flemish army under Philip van Artevelde and a French army under Louis II of Flanders who had called upon the help of the French king Charles VI after he had suffered a defeat during the Battle of Beverhoutsveld . The Flemish army was defeated , Philip van Artevelde was slain and his corpse was put on display . Prelude . Philip II had ruled the council of regents from 1380 till 1388 , and ruled France during the childhood years of Charles VI , who was Philip ' s nephew . He deployed the French army in Westrozebeke to suppress a Flemish rebellion led by Philip van Artevelde , who intended to dispose of Louis II of Flanders . Philip II was married to Margaret of Flanders , Louis ' daughter . Ghent . Ghent had rebelled against Count Louis II of Flanders . The Count surrounded the city , and when the citizens of Ghent asked for terms , Louis demanded that all men between the ages of 15 and 60 must present themselves with halters around their necks . The count would then decide whom he would pardon and whom he would execute . The men of Ghent determined to fight and on 5 May 1382 , under the leadership of Van Arteveld , they issued from their city and smashed Louis ' overconfident army . Action at Comines . The French nobility , facing an incipient peasant revolt at home , felt forced to move against the upstart Flemish commoners . The French royal party patched up its differences with the unruly citizens of Paris and mounted an expedition on behalf of the Count of Flanders . The army " probably numbered around 12 , 000 " and included King Charles VI and the Dukes of Burgundy , Bourbon and Berry , lords Clisson , Sancerre , Coucy , and other notables . The Oriflamme was carried for the first time since the Battle of Poitiers . At the Lys River near the town of Comines , the French army was held up by 900 Flemish soldiers commanded by Peter van den Bossche . Since the only bridge was broken , Olivier de Clisson ferried a party of 400 French knights across the river . These volunteers spent an anxious night , then joined battle in the morning . Soon the bridge was rebuilt , the bulk of the French army crossed and the superior force quickly put the Flemish spearmen to flight . Van den Bossche was wounded in the struggle but managed to escape . After this skirmish , a number of Flemish towns sued for peace , paying a stiff ransom to the French king . The battle . The French had assembled a strong force in November and even though the contemporary sources greatly exaggerate its numbers ( 50 , 000 to 80 , 000 ) , it was clear that van Artevelde ' s army was outnumbered . At this time he was laying siege to the town of Oudenaarde but lifted the siege to make camp on a hill , the Goudberg , situated between Oostnieuwkerke and Passendale . The French troops lay on the other side of the hill . On the morning of 27 November , van Artevelde planned to make use of the dense fog and attack the French . To prevent a breakthrough by enemy cavalry he ordered his men to advance in a tight square formation . The French had not forgotten the Battle of the Golden Spurs , and first engaged the Flemings with a wave of infantry . Van Artevelde managed to repel that attack and decided to attack the French . The French commander , Olivier de Clisson , reacted by attacking his opponent ' s unsecured flanks with heavy cavalry . This caused a panic in the Flemish rear which started to flee . The main body of Flemish troops had no other option than to form a circle . They were pushed back and eventually defeated and Philip van Artevelde was killed . Aftermath . Philip II could not gain any advantage from this victory . He would become count of Flanders late January 1384 and needed the economical power of the rebellious Ghent . The rebellion lasted till 8 December 1385 , when the peace of Tournai was signed .