WESTPHALIA, a province of Prussia, lies between Holland, Hanover, Brunswick, Hessen-Nassau, and the Rhine province. Its area is 7,770 English sq.m. ; with a pop. '75, of 1,907,195, who, with the exception of about 18,000 Jews, are of the purest German de scent. Of the population 949,118 were, in 1871, Catholics, and 806,464 Protestants. West phalia is divided into three districts—Mfinster in the n.w., Minder in the n.e., and Arnsberg in the south. The e. of the province presents vast plains covered with grain, while the n.w. exhibits an uninterruptedly flat expanse of uncultivated land. The climate is generally temperate. The chief rivers are the Weser (q.v.), the Ems, the Lippe, and the Roar. or Ruhr, each of which is navigable for a considerable part of its course. The prosperity of Westphalia is chiefly due to its flax crops and its mineral treasures, especially coal and iron. The chief of the industrial products are iron, and articles of iron, steel, and copper from the forges of Arnsberg; while manufacturing industry embraces flax-spin ning and linen-weaving in Minden, and extensive production of woolen articles, stock ings, and ribbons of esteemed quality. The exports consist of these products, and of meat, especially hams. The capital, Munster (q.v.), had, till 1818, a university, now a higher academy, and is the seat of the supreme Catholic and Protestant religious author ities.—Westphalia derives its name from the Westfalen, a section of the great Saxon people, who migrated hither from the banks of the Elbe soon after the Christian era; and after the subjugation of the Saxons by Charlemagne, the deposed leader, Wittekind, was allowed to remain duke of the Engem and Westfalen. At this time, the country called Westphalia (and occasionally denominated Sauerland) comprised all Germany between the Weser, Rhein, and Ems; and soon after, it was subjugated by the dukes of lower Saxony, and held by them till, on the rebellion of Henry the Lion in 1179, the electoral archbishop of Cologne extended his sway over it. It then became one of the circles of
the empire, and belonged to the Cologne electorate till 1802, when most of it was given to the Hesse-Darmstadt family. In 1807 arose the kingdom of Westphalia, which, besides a portion of Westphalia, also included electoral Hesse, Hanover, Brunswick, and por tions of upper Saxony. This kingdom, erected by Napoleon as a preliminary to its incorporation into France, was given to his youngest brother, Jerome, who made Cassel his capital, and, despite the large French garrisons with which the country was bur. dened, and the extensive contributions in men and money which it was forced to pay to Napoleon, succeeded, by the establishment of the code Napoleon, and by showing in various other ways his strong desire to promote the welfare of his new subjects, in acquiring their esteem. But the oppressive conscriptions and taxes for the behoof of the French army and treasury gradually increased in amount, and excited such resent ment, that Jerome's life was several times threatened. The king repeatedly remonstrated with Napoleon, but without the slightest effect; and despite his efforts, the "continental system" was introduced into his states. In 1813 Jerome was chased from Cassel by the Russians; and though he returned for a few days, the defeat of Leipsic forced him to take shelter in France. By the treaty of Vienna, the states which had been joined to Westphalia to form the kingdom, were restored to their former possessors, and West phalia itself, with the exception of a portion which had been annexed to Hesse-Darm stadt, was united to Prussia.