Deux-Nèthes

Deux-Nèthes ([dø.nɛt], Dutch: Twee Neten) was a department of the First French Republic and of the First French Empire in present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. 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.[2] It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands were officially annexed by the French Republic[3]. Its territory was the northern part of the former duchy of Brabant. 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.

Department of Deux-Nèthes Département des Deux-Nèthes (fr) Departement Twee Neten (nl)
1795–1814
Flag
Deux-Nèthes and other annexed departments
Status	Department of the French First Republic and the French First Empire
Chef-lieu	Anvers 51°13′N 4°24′E
Official languages	French
Common languages	Dutch
Historical era	French Revolutionary Wars
• Creation	1 October 1795
• Arrondissement of Bréda incorporated	15 May 1810
• Treaty of Paris, disestablished	30 May 1814
Area
1812[1]	4,153 km^2 (1,603 sq mi)
Population
• 1812[1]	367,184[1]
Preceded by Succeeded by Austrian Netherlands Kingdom of Holland United Kingdom of the Netherlands
Today part of	Belgium  Netherlands

The Chef-lieu of the department was Antwerp (Anvers in French). The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons:

• Anvers: Anvers (4 cantons), Brecht, Ekeren, Kontich, Wilrijk and Zandhoven.
• Bréda: Bergues-sur-le-Zon, Bréda, Ginneken, Oosterhout, Oudenbosch, Rosendael and Zevenbergen.
• Malines: Duffel, Heyst-sur-la-Montagne, Lierre, Malines (2 cantons) and Puers.
• Turnhout: Arendonk, Herentals, Hoogstraten, Mol, Turnhout and Westerlo.

After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the province of Antwerp.[4]

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
2 March 1800[5]	29 July 1805	Charles Joseph Fortuné d'Herbouville
29 July 1805[6]	29 March 1809	Charles Cochon de Lapparent
29 March 1809[7]	12 March 1813	Marc René Marie Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson
12 March 1813[8]	30 May 1814	Jacques Fortunat Savoye-Rollin

Secretaries General

The Secretary General was the deputy to the Prefect.

Term start	Term end	Office holder
26 April 1800	?? ?? 1805	Jacques Ambroise Rialle
?? ?? 1805	30 May 1814	Jacques-Chrisostôme Jullien d'Aguilhan

Subprefects of Anvers

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

Term start	Term end	Office holder
14 January 1811[9]	14 February 1812	Guislain De Loose
14 February 1812[9]	30 May 1814	Baillet

Subprefects of Bréda

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

Term start	Term end	Office holder
5 May 1810[9]	15 May 1810	Peppe

Subprefects of Malines

Term start	Term end	Office holder
25 April 1800[9]	8 July 1802	Jean Henri Pierre Van den Branden de Riette
8 July 1802[9]	30 May 1814	Devargny

Subprefects of Turnhout

Term start	Term end	Office holder
25 April 1800[9]	30 May 1814	Mesmaekers

References

1. Almanach Impérial. Imprimerie de Sa Majesté. 1812. p. 442.
2. Herbouville, Charles-Joseph-Fortuné marquis d'; France. Ministère de l'intérieur (1802), Tableau statistique du Département des Deux-Nèthes, s.n, retrieved 29 December 2018
3. Duvergier, Jean-Baptiste (1835). Collection complète des lois, décrets, ordonnances, réglemens et avis du Conseil d'état, t. 8. p. 300.
4. "The Cathedral, Mechlin, Belgium". The Advocate. XXXVII (1922). Victoria, Australia. 25 November 1905. p. 13. Retrieved 29 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia. ,... 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...
5. Archives Nationales. "HERBOUVILLE, Charles Joseph Fortuné d'". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
6. Archives Nationales. "COCHON DE LAPPARENT, Charles". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
7. Archives Nationales. "VOYER DE PAULMY D'ARGENSON, Marc René Marie de". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
8. Archives Nationales. "SAVOYE-ROLLIN, Jacques Fortunat". francearchives.fr. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
9. Tulard, Jean & Marie-José (2014). Napoléon et 40 millions de sujets: La centralisation et le premier empire. p. 335. ISBN 9791021001480.