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West Flanders is the only Belgian province that borders both France and The Netherlands; it is the only province not landlocked.
The history of Flanders concerns not only the modern Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, which is now called "Flanders" (Dutch: Vlaanderen), but also several neighbouring territories and populations. Its historical core territory was in western Belgium between the coast and the Scheldt river.
West Flanders is the only Belgian province that borders both France and The Netherlands. The province has an area of 3,197 km 2 (1,234 sq mi). In terms of area, it is the largest province in the Flemish Region and the fifth largest in Belgium.
West Flanders is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest.
- Etymology
- Geography
- Flag and Arms
- History
- Count of Flanders Title
- Important Treaties and Battles Which Involved The County of Flanders
- Bibliography
- External Links
The term Flanders originally referred to the area around Bruges. It is first mentioned in the biography of Saint Eligius (c.590–660), the Vita sancti Eligii. The work was written before 684 but has been known only since 725. This work mentions only the place "in Flandris". A Germanic etymology for "Flanders" and "Flemish" (Dutch: Vlaanderen, Vlaams...
The geography of the historic County of Flanders only partially overlaps with the present-day region of Flandersin Belgium, but even there, it extends beyond the present provinces of West Flanders and East Flanders. Some of the historic county is now part of France and the Netherlands. The land covered by the county is spread out over: 1. Belgium: ...
The arms of the County of Flanders were allegedly created by Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders from 1168 to 1191; a climbing or rampant black lion on a gold field. In the story about the Battle of the Golden Spurs, the arms and its corresponding battlecry Vlaendr'n den leeuw ("Flanders, the Lion!") plays a crucial role in the forming of a Flemish...
Prehistory and antiquity
The future county of Flanders had been inhabited since prehistory. During the Iron Age the Kemmelberg formed an important Celtic settlement. During the times of Julius Caesar, the inhabitants were part of the Belgae, a collective name for all Celtic and Germanic tribes in the north of Gaul. For Flanders in specific these were the Menapii, the Morini, the Nervii and the Atrebates. Julius Caesar conquered the area around 54 BC and the population was partially romanised from the 1st to the 3rd c...
Early Middle Ages
The abandoned coast and Scheldt region had been partially repopulated since the 4th century by Saxons and Franks from the east of the Rhine that retained their Germanic culture and language. In the 5th century Salic Franks settled in present-day Northern-France and Wallonia, primarily around the cities of Courtrai, Tournai and Bavay. They adapted to the local Gallo-Romanic population. From the 6th century on the no-mans-land farther north was filled by Franksfrom the Rhinelands and other Germ...
7th century
At the end of the 6th and the 7th century a new inflow emerged from the western Pas-de-Calais. This area had been germanised in the 5th century and descendants of the Saxons and Franks had settled in future Flanders and the Duchy of Brabant. New groups of germanic settlers also came in from the Netherlands and Germany. Their new settlements often received the name of their germanic leader, with '-inga haim' added. -Inga haim meant 'the settlement of the tribe of X'. For example: Petegemcomes...
From 1840 onwards, the title "Count of Flanders" has been appropriated by the monarchy of Belgium. As a rule it was given to the second in line of succession to the Belgian throne. The title of count of Flanders was abolished by royal decision on 16 October 2001.
Blok, D.P. (red) et al (1977–1983): Algemene Geschiedenis der Nederlanden, Fibula-Van Dishoeck, Haarlem, ISBN 90-228-3800-5Blom, J.C.H., Lamberts, E., redactie (2006): Geschiedenis van de Nederlanden, HBuitgevers, Baarn, ISBN 90-5574-474-3Within Belgian discussions, the two westernmost provinces of the Flemish Region, West Flanders and East Flanders, forming the central portion of the historic County of Flanders are also still collectively referred to as Flanders.
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Former municipalities of West Flanders (1 C, 11 P) Pages in category "History of West Flanders" The following 19 pages are in this category, out of 19 total.
