This study has situated the archery and crossbow guilds of late medieval Flanders within their civic societies. The analysis of guilds as civic defenders, civic organisations and civic representatives in aristocratic and regional networks has demonstrated that the guilds acted as the embodiment of the urban ‘Common Good’. The guilds built on existing ideals of brotherhood and commensality, on evolving and often ardent devotions and, fundamentally, on the variations in the meaning of membership, to create strong communities both within towns and across Flanders. That war and instability were driving forces for urban men to take up archery seems obvious, but the guilds were not militias; their development and evolution was linked to civic self-representation and desires on the part of townsmen to demonstrate their prominence and augment their honour, and even to keep the peace.

Guilds were military groups. They served in war throughout the period, representing their communities on the town battlements and on the battlefield, but they were valued as far more than this by their civic societies. Guild-brothers were small but significant groups and recognised parts in the army that Louis of Male led into Brabant in 1356, and supported Maximilian at Guinegatte in 1479, proving the potential of their expertise by winning a swift victory. Yet the guilds were far more than soldiers or militias and the present study has proved that community and desires for peace were more important than war for the Flemish towns.

The ability of archery and crossbow guilds to bring individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds together to form communities was central to their formation and functions. Within their own towns, guilds built communities around saints, around socialising and around spiritual aid. They invested in devotion, allowing their members to demonstrate corporate and individual identity. The location of guilds’ chapels, their concern for charity and the role in them of women and children all demonstrate the guilds fulfilling civic values. Guilds, like towns, were not perfect; disputes and even violence happened; but, just as towns worked to maintain the ‘good’ and peace of their town, so too did guilds, expelling disobedient members and encouraging all members to eat and drink together to build bonds of community.