Deux-Nèthes (, ) was a department of the First French Republic and of the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

in present-day

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

and the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. It was named after two branches of the river Nete (Grote Nete and Kleine Nete). The southern part of its territory corresponds more or less with the present-day Belgian province of Antwerp. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the

Austrian Netherlands The Austrian Netherlands was the territory of the Burgundian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire between 1714 and 1797. The period began with the acquisition by the Austrian Habsburg monarchy of the former Spanish Netherlands under the Treaty of Ras ...

were officially annexed by the French Republic. Its territory was the northern part of the former

duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant, a Imperial State, state of the Holy Roman Empire, was established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant of 1085–1183, and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries. The Duchy comprised part of the Bu ...

. After the annexation of the Kingdom of Holland in 1810, the department was expanded with the western half of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant, itself historically part of the

Duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant, a Imperial State, state of the Holy Roman Empire, was established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant of 1085–1183, and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries. The Duchy comprised part of the Bu ...

Departments of French Empire Nethes 1811

The

Chef-lieu An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located. In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...

of the department was

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

(''Anvers'' in French). The department was subdivided into the following four

arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissem ...

s and cantons (with French names): * Anvers: Anvers (4 cantons), Brecht, Ekeren, Kontich, Wilrijk and Zandhoven. * Bréda: Bergues-sur-le-Zon, Bréda, Ginneken,

Oosterhout Oosterhout (; from ''ooster'', "eastern", and ''hout'', "woods") is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and a city in southern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of in . Population centers The municipality of Ooste ...

, Oudenbosch, Rosendael and Zevenbergen. * Malines:

Duffel Duffel () is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Belgium, Belgian province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality comprises the town of Duffel proper. On 1 January 2020, Duffel had a total population of 17,664. The total ar ...

, Heyst-sur-la-Montagne, Lierre, Malines (2 cantons) and Puers. *

Turnhout Turnhout () is a Belgium, Belgian Municipalities in Belgium, municipality and city located in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. ...

: Arendonk, Herentals, Hoogstraten, Mol,

and Westerlo. After

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the provinces of

and North Brabant. ,''... Napoleon I. had its fortifications razed in 1804, and made it the capital of the French "Departement des deux Nethes," until 1814, when it was comprised in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it finally became part of Belgium in 1830...''

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

Secretaries General

The Secretary General was the deputy to the Prefect.

Subprefects of Anvers

The office of Subprefect of Anvers was held by the Prefect until 1811.

Subprefects of Bréda

This subprefecture was created in 1810 and suppressed a month later.

Subprefects of Malines

Subprefects of Turnhout

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deux-Nethes Former departments of France in Belgium Former departments of France in the Netherlands 19th century in Antwerp History of Antwerp History of Antwerp Province History of North Brabant 1795 establishments in France