But the Flemings, taking no interest in his personal views or private projects, and equally indifferent to the rivalry of England and France, which now began so fearfully to affect the latter kingdom, forced their ambitious count to declare their province a neutral country; so that the English merchants were admitted as usual to trade in all the ports of Flanders, and the Flemings equally well received in England, while the duke made open war against Great Britain in his quality of a prince of France and sovereign of Burgundy.

This is probably the earliest well-established instance of such a distinction between the prince and the people.
Anthony, duke of Brabant, the brother of Philip, was not so closely restricted in his authority and wishes.

He led all the nobles of the province to take part in the quarrels of France; and he suffered the penalty of his rashness in meeting his death in the battle of Agincourt.

But the duchy suffered nothing by this event, for the militia of the country had not followed their duke and his nobles to the war; and a national council was now established, consisting of eleven persons, two of whom were ecclesiastics, three barons, two knights, and four commoners.
This council, formed on principles so fairly popular, conducted the public affairs with great wisdom during the minority of the young duke.

Each province seems thus to have governed itself upon principles of republican independence.