Escaut (department)

Escaut 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, 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. Before annexation by France, its territory was part of the County of Flanders and the Dutch Republic.
The Chef-lieu of the department was Ghent. The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons :

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

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This subprefecture was replaced by Eccloo in 1803.