Bouches-de-l'Escaut (French: [buʃ.də.lɛ.sko], "Mouths of the Scheldt"; Dutch: Monden van de Schelde) was a department of the First French Empire in the present-day Netherlands. It was formed in 1810, when the Kingdom of Holland was annexed by France. Its territory corresponded with the present-day Dutch province of Zeeland, minus Zeelandic Flanders, which was part of the department of Escaut. Its capital was Middelburg.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Departments_of_French_Empire_Bouches_Escaut_1811.svg/220px-Departments_of_French_Empire_Bouches_Escaut_1811.svg.png)
The department was subdivided into the following arrondissements and cantons (situation in 1812):[1]
- Middelburg, cantons: Middelburg, Veere and Vlissingen.
- Goes, cantons: Goes, Heinkenszand, Kortgene and Kruiningen.
- Zierikzee, cantons: Zierikzee, Brouwershaven and Tholen.
Its population in 1812 was 76,820, and its area was 63,000 hectares.[1]
After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
References
edit- ^ a b Almanach Impérial an bissextil MDCCCXII, p. 377-378, accessed in Gallica 24 July 2013 (in French)