The Battle of La Warde de Steppes …
Years: 1277 - 1277
The Battle of La Warde de Steppes (1277) and the Legacy of the War of the Cow
In 1277, a coalition of Liègeois militias achieved victory over Namur at the Battle of La Warde de Steppes, a key engagement in the ongoing feudal conflicts in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. This battle was a direct consequence of the War of the Cow (1275–1276), a conflict sparked by a seemingly minor dispute over cattle theft that escalated into a full-scale war between regional lords and ecclesiastical authorities.
The War of the Cow in Historical Accounts
The War of the Cow (Guerre de la Vache) became a well-documented episode in medieval history, extensively chronicled by Liègeois annalists:
- Jean d’Outremeuse and Jean de Hocsem provide detailed narratives of the war, describing the causes, key battles, and the devastation wrought upon the Condroz region.
- The Annales Leodienses, Floressienses, and Marchianenses, however, make only a brief mention of the conflict, noting simply that Ciney (Cheneys) was burned.
- This discrepancy reflects regional perspectives, with Liègeois chroniclers emphasizing the war’s significance, while other sources focused on its immediate material consequences.
Impact of the Battle of La Warde de Steppes
- The victory of the Liègeois militias over Namur reaffirmed the growing power of urban militias in medieval warfare, as cities and ecclesiastical territories increasingly resisted feudal lords.
- The battle further weakened the Marquisate of Namur, reinforcing the Prince-Bishopric of Liège’s influenceover the region.
- Though the war had started over a seemingly trivial incident, its repercussions lasted for decades, influencing regional power struggles in the Low Countries.
Legacy
The War of the Cow, though originating from a petty dispute, exemplified how feudal justice, noble ambitions, and urban autonomy clashed in the medieval Low Countries. The Battle of La Warde de Steppes in 1277 cemented Liège’s military resilience, foreshadowing later struggles between the Prince-Bishops of Liège and neighboring feudal lords in the following centuries.
