Louis's pro-French policies and excessive taxations caused an uprising in 1323. Beginning as a series of scattered rural riots, the
peasant insurrection escalated into a full-scale rebellion that dominated public affairs in Flanders for nearly five years until 1328. The rebels, led by
Nicolaas Zannekin, captured the towns of
Nieuwpoort,
Veurne,
Ypres and
Kortrijk. In Kortrijk, Zannekin was able to capture Louis himself. On 30 November 1325 in the church of St. Basil, Louis swore amnesty to the rebels, investigation of John of Namur's actions as regent, and approval of all actions take by regent Robert of Cassel. The following day, Louis was released and fled to Paris. On 26 April 1326, the King
Charles IV of France, intervened and the
Peace of Arques was sealed. This treaty presented the King of France as the aggrieved party, leaving Louis as a bystander. The treaty, not supported by rebel districts in Flanders, did not last long, and soon hostilities erupted again.
Philip VI of France was forced to come to Louis's aid while Zannekin and his adherents were decisively defeated by the French royal army in the
Battle of Cassel. Control of Flanders was returned to Louis, with a warning from Philip that if Louis needed to be rescued again, Flanders would be incorporated into the kingdom of France. When the
Hundred Years War started, Louis remained steadfast in his French policy, even with the county being economically dependent on England. His actions resulted in a boycott of the wool trade imposed by King
Edward III of England, which in turn sparked a new insurrection in 1337 under
Jacob van Artevelde. In 1339 the count had to flee his lands, never being able to return. Louis was killed at the
Battle of Crécy in 1346. ==Family==