Escaut (department)

Escaut (French: [ɛsko], Dutch: Schelde) was a department of the French First Republic and French First Empire in present-day Belgium and Netherlands. It was named after the river Scheldt (Escô, Schelde), which is called the Escaut in French. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège were officially annexed by the French Republic.^[3] Before annexation by France, its territory was part of the County of Flanders and the Dutch Republic (Staats-Vlaanderen).

Escaut within the northern French Empire (1811)

Department of Escaut Département de l'Escaut (French) Departement Schelde (Dutch)
1795–1814
Location of Escaut in France (1812)
Status	Department of the French First Republic and the French First Empire
Chef-lieu	Ghent 51°3′N 3°44′E
Official languages	French
Common languages	Dutch
History
• Creation	1 October 1795
• Treaty of Paris, disestablished	30 May 1814
Area
1812[1]	3,570 km2 (1,380 sq mi)
Population
• 1789[2]	583,059
• 1799[2]	594,617
• 1800[2]	602,072
• 1812[1]	636,438
Preceded by Succeeded by County of Flanders Generality Lands East Flanders
Today part of	Belgium Netherlands

The Chef-lieu of the department was Ghent (Gand in French). The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons (as of 1812):^[2]

• Gand: Cruyshouthem, Deynse, Evergem, Gand (4 cantons), Loochristi, Nazareth, Nevèle, Oosterzeele, Sommergem and Waerschoot.
• Termonde: Alost (2 cantons), Beveren, Hamme, Lockeren, Saint-Gillis, Saint-Nicolas, Tamise, Termonde, Wetteren and Zèle.
• Eccloo: Assenède, Axel, Capryck, Eccloo, L'Écluse, Hulst, Oostbourg and Yzendick.
• Andernarde: Andernarde (2 cantons), Grammont, Herzèle, Maria-Hoorebecke, Niderbrakel, Ninove, Renaix and Sotteghem.

After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its territory corresponded with the present Belgian province of East Flanders and the Dutch region of Zeelandic Flanders.

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
2 March 1800[4]	18 September 1808	Guillaume Charles Faipoult de Maisoncelles
18 September 1808[5]	12 March 1813	Frédéric-Christophe d'Houdetot
12 March 1813[6]	23 March 1813	Jean François Marie Delaître
23 March 1813[7]	30 May 1814	Napoléon Jean-Évangéliste Desmousseaux de Givré

General Secretaries

The General Secretary was the deputy to the Prefect.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
23 May 1800[8]	1 January 1801	Étienne Lehodey de Saultchevreuil
3 January 1801	5 July 1803	Claude Joachim Gréban de Saint Germain
?? ?? 1805[9]	30 May 1814	P. Tinel

Subprefects of Andenarde

Term start	Term end	Office holder
1 May 1800[9]	15 January 1809	Constantin Beyens
15 January 1809[9]	30 May 1814	Joseph Charles Emmanuel Van Ertborn

Subprefects of Eccloo

This subprefecture was created in 1803, replacing Sas-de-Gand.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
24 September 1803[9]	30 May 1814	André Etienne Bazenerye

Subprefects of Gand

Until 1811, the Prefect also held the office of Subprefect of Gand.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
14 January 1811[9]	30 May 1814	Pierre Louis Joseph Servais van Gobbelschroy

Subprefects of Sas-de-Gand

This subprefecture was replaced by Eccloo in 1803.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
1 June 1800[9]	15 September 1800	Aubert
15 September 1800[9]	26 November 1802	Robert
26 November 1802[9]	14 January 1803	François Pierre Eversdyck
14 January 1803[9]	24 September 1803	André Etienne Bazenerye

Subprefects of Termonde

Term start	Term end	Office holder
1 May 1800[9]	30 May 1814	Alexandre François Devos d’Ersele