Lys (department)

Template:Infobox former country Lys ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}, Template:Langx) was a department of the French First Republic and French First Empire in present-day Belgium. It was named after the river Lys (Leie). It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège were officially annexed by the French Republic.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Prior to this annexation, its territory was part of the County of Flanders. Its Chef-lieu was Bruges.

File:Departments of French Empire Lys 1811.svg

Lys within the northern French Empire (1811)

The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons (as of 1812):<ref name='a' />

• Bruges: Ardoye, Bruges (5 cantons), Ghistelles, Ostende, Ruysselede, Thielt and Thourout (2 cantons).
• Courtray: Avelghem, Courtray (4 cantons), Haerelbeke, Ingelmunster, Menin, Meulebeke, Moozeele, Oost-roosebeke and Roulers.
• Furnes: Dixmude, Furnes, Haeringhe and Nieuport.
• Ypres: Elverdinge, Hooglede, Messines, Pashendaele, Poperinghe, Wervicq and Ypres (2 cantons).

After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its territory corresponded perfectly with the present-day Belgian province of West Flanders.

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||9 February 1804||François Marie Joseph Justin de Viry
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||12 May 1808||François Bernard de Chauvelin
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||25 August 1811||Pierre Amédée Vincent Joseph Marie Arborio-Biamino
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>||30 May 1814||Jean François Soult

General Secretaries

The General Secretary was the deputy to the Prefect.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
2 March 1800<ref name='a' />	30 May 1814	Auguste Henissart

Subprefects of Bruges

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

Term start	Term end	Office holder
14 January 1811<ref name=d>Template:Cite book</ref>	30 May 1814	Delanghe

Subprefects of Courtray

Term start	Term end	Office holder
25 April 1800<ref name='d' />	3 May 1801	Jean Baptiste De Burck
3 May 1801<ref name='d' />	3 May 1802	Constant
3 May 1802<ref name='d' />	30 May 1814	Antoine Alexis Joseph Picquet

Subprefects of Furnes

Term start	Term end	Office holder
25 April 1800<ref name='d' />	1 September 1801	Van den Bussche
1 September 1801<ref name='d' />	3 May 1802	Antoine Alexis Joseph Picquet
3 May 1802<ref name='d' />	25 March 1807	Philippe Jacques Herwyn
25 March 1807<ref name='d' />	21 September 1808	Nicolas Charles Joseph Dubois
21 September 1808<ref name='d' />	8 April 1813	Delaëter
8 April 1813<ref name='d' />	30 May 1814	F. Heim

Subprefects of Ypres

Term start	Term end	Office holder
25 April 1800<ref name='d' />	30 May 1814	Arnould Claude Gallois