The Battle of Spurs
Preserved but no longer current.
A name given to the battles of Guinegate (1513) and Courtrai (1302). The former, between Henry VIII and the Due de Longueville, was so called because the French used their spurs in flight more than their swords in fight; and the battle of Courtrai because the victorious Flemings gathered from the field more than 700 gilt spurs, worn by French nobles slain in the fight.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Battle of Spurs” mean?
A name given to the battles of Guinegate (1513) and Courtrai (1302). The former, between Henry VIII and the Due de Longueville, was so called because the French used their spurs in flight more than their swords in fight; and the battle of Courtrai because the victorious Flemings gathered from the field more than 700 gilt spurs, worn by French nobles slain in the fight.
Is “The Battle of Spurs” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.