Evolution and management of the domain of the counts of Flanders under Louis de Male and Philippe le Hardi (1346-1404)

No late medieval king or prince, eager to acquire an important position on the international political scene, proved able to live from his own domania l resources. In the final quarter of the 14th century, the counts of Flande rs too derived substantial funds from subventions, loans, and other "extrao rdinary" revenues, but this did not imply a progressive neglect of the "ord inary" domanial resources. By acquiring new manors, by raising the duties c harged on the flourishing foreign trade and especially on the imports of be er and even by a large-scale reorganization of the fixed-rent system of the so-called "old domain", the level of domanial resources could be maintaine d and even increased, although the general economic situation after the Ghe nt War (1379-1385) was anything but excellent. Furthermore, the permanent a lienation of parts of the counts' domain in order to establish or maintain personal relations was no common practice. This cautious policy was probabl y inspired by the counts' striving for financial resources independent from the dangerous interference of the might cities of the territory.