ARTEVELDE, JACOB VAN (c. Flemish statesman, born at Ghent about 129o, sprang from one of the wealthy commercial families of the city. His brother John, a rich cloth merchant, took a leading part in public affairs during the first decades of the 14th century. Jacob, who according to tra dition was a brewer by trade, made his first appearance as a political leader in the year 1337, when the outbreak of hostilities between France and England threatened the industrial welfare of his native town.
As the Flemish cities depended upon England for the supply of the wool for their staple industry of weaving, he proposed, at a great meeting at the monastery of Biloke, a scheme for an alliance of the Flemish towns with those of Brabant, Holland and Hainaut, to maintain an armed neutrality in the dynastic struggle between Edward III. and Philip VI. of France. His efforts were successful. Bruges, Ypres and other towns formed a league with Ghent, where Artevelde, with the title of captain-general, hence forth until his death exercised almost dictatorial authority. His first step was to bring about the conclusion of a commercial treaty with England.
The efforts of the Count of Flanders to overthrow the power of Artevelde by force of arms completely failed, and he was com pelled at Bruges to sign a treaty (June 21 1338) sanctioning the federation of the three towns, Ghent, Bruges and Ypres, hence forth known as the "Three members of Flanders." This was the first of a series of treaties, made during the year 1339-40, which gradually brought into the federation many towns and provinces of the Netherlands. The policy of neutrality, however, proved impracticable, and the Flemish towns, under the leadership of Artevelde, openly took the side of the English king, with whom a close alliance was concluded.
Artevelde now reached the height of his power, concluding al liances with kings, and publicly associating with them on equal terms. Under his able administration trade flourished, and Ghent rose rapidly in wealth and importance. But the proposal of Artevelde to disown the sovereignty of Louis, count of Flanders, and to recognize in its place that of Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince), gave rise to violent dissatisfaction. A popular insurrection broke out in Ghent, and Artevelde was murdered on July 24 See J. Hutton. James and Philip van Artevelde (London, 1882) ; W. J. Ashley, James and Philip van Artevelde (London, 1883) ; P. Nameche, Les van Artevelde et leur époque (Louvain, 1887) ; L. Vanderkindere, Le Siecle des Arteveldes (Brussels, 1879) .