Philip of Alsace inherited Flanders in 1168 and aggressively expanded comital authority over urban minting, bringing Ieper — then a rising cloth-trade center — under tighter fiscal control. The maille, struck at half the weight of a denier, was the workhorse of small transactions in the Flemish market economy, and Philip's prolific output across multiple mints reflects the commercial intensity of his rule rather than any ceremonial ambition.
Philip of Alsace inherited Flanders in 1168 and aggressively expanded comital authority over urban minting, bringing Ieper — then a rising cloth-trade center — under tighter fiscal control. The maille, struck at half the weight of a denier, was the workhorse of small transactions in the Flemish market economy, and Philip's prolific output across multiple mints reflects the commercial intensity of his rule rather than any ceremonial ambition.