Protests and rebellion in the fishing communities of fifteenth-century Flanders

In scholarly accounts of collective action in late medieval Flanders, attention has largely focused on urban and peasant rebellions. One social group that has received comparatively little attention is the late medieval fishermen, who employed a similar repertoire of actions and protective strategies as those used in the towns and countryside. The history of late medieval fishing in Flanders is often presented as a success story; yet written sources attest to the numerous conflicts that accompanied this growth. This study examines the causes of these conflicts, as well as the strategies fishermen employed to address them. Fundamental parameters that underpinned claims included the appropriation of space and membership within fishing communities. Without venturing to sea themselves, the prince, ecclesiastical institutions, and a taxing elite appropriated a substantial share of the fish caught. The struggle over the proceeds of labour provoked protest and rebellion, reflecting broader tensions surrounding the fifteenth-century commercial revolution in marine fishing and the profound changes it entailed. The most important resources available to late medieval coastal communities were a conciliatory and inclusive approach, the readiness to relinquish claims to space, and the strengthening of ties with neighbouring communities.