# Escaut (department)

Escaut (French:, Dutch: Schelde) 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 (Escô, Schelde), 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 (Staats-Vlaanderen).
The Chef-lieu of the department was Ghent (Gand in French). The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons (as of 1812):
* Gand: Cruyshouthem, Deysne, Evergem, Gand (4 cantons), Loochristi, Nazareth, Nevèle, Oosterzeele, Sommergem and Waerschoot.
* Termonde: Alost (2 cantons), Beveren, Hamme, Lockeren, Saint-Gillis, Saint-Nicolas, Tamise, Termonde, Wetteren and Zèle.
* Eccloo: Assenède, Axel, Capryck, Eccloo, L'Écluse, Hulst, Oostbourg and Yzendick.
* Andernarde: Andernarde (2 cantons), Grammont, Herzèle, Maria-Hoorebecke, Niderbrakel, Ninove, Renaix and Sotteghem.
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
### Prefects

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 |

### General Secretaries

The General Secretary was the deputy to the Prefect.
| 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 |

### Subprefects of Andenarde

| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 1 May 1800 | 15 January 1809 | Constantin Beyens |
| 15 January 1809 | 30 May 1814 | Joseph Charles Emmanuel Van Ertborn |

### Subprefects of Eccloo

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 |

### Subprefects of Gand

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 |

### Subprefects of Sas-de-Gand

This subprefecture was replaced by Eccloo in 1803.
| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 1 June 1800 | 15 September 1800 | Aubert |
| 15 September 1800 | 26 November 1802 | Robert |
| 26 November 1802 | 14 January 1803 | François Pierre Eversdyck |
| 14 January 1803 | 24 September 1803 | André Etienne Bazenerye |

### Subprefects of Termonde

| Term start | Term end | Office holder |
| 1 May 1800 | 30 May 1814 | Alexandre François Devos d’Ersele |