FLANDERS (French, Flandre; German and Flemish, Flandern; Dutch, Vlaandtren), a former country or district of Europe, now in cluded in the Holland province of Zeeland, the Belgian provinces of East and West Flanders, and French Flanders, comprising the depart ments of the Nord and Ardennes. It stretched from the Schelde, below Fort Lillo, west along the Hond, or West Schelde, and west-southwest along the German Ocean to the entrance of the Straits of Dover, near Gravelines, and was bounded east by the duchy of Brabant, south by Hainaut, and west by the French provinces of Artois and Picardy. At the time of Caesar's conquest of Gaul the country was occupied by the Atrebates, Morini and other tribes of Cel tic origin. Later the country was invaded by the Germans and it finally passed to the Franks. When Charlemagne's empire was broken up in 843, by the treaty of Verdun, the Scheldt was made the boundary between Lothaire's kingdom of East Francia (Austrasia) and that of Charles the Bald or West Francia (Neustria). In 855 the northern part of Austrasia passed to Lothaire II, after whom it became known as Lotharingia, or Lorraine. Baldwin of the Iron Arm emerges as the first strong ruler of Flanders. He married Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald, and widow of Ethelwulf of England. From Charles he received the mar gravate of Flanders as a hereditary fief. He defended the country from the Norsemen, who at that time were making frequent incursions southward. Baldwin II, his son and successor, was equally successful in repelling the north ern hordes and by his marriage to Aelfthryth, daughter of Alfred the Great, greatly strength ened his position. About the 10th century the margraves of Flanders became counts. In the following decades the territory of the Counts of Flanders was increased under Bald win IV, who received from Henry II Valen ciennes, Ghent, the land of Waes, and Zealand and who became at the same time a feudatory of the Holy Roman Empire. His son, Baldwin V, extended his power and territory, received from Henry IV the territory between the Den der and the Scheldt as an imperial fief, and the margravate of Antwerp. His daughter, Ma tilda, became the wife of William the Con queror. By additions of territory and through commerce the Counts of Flanders were in the 11th and succeeding centuries more powerful and wealthy than many of the kings of Europe.
Internal strife for a time hindered develop ment at the beginning of the 12th century, there being in 1127 six candidates for the courtship on the death of Count Charles. Thierry, Count of Flanders, distinguished himself in the Sec ond Crusade in 1146 and retired in 1157. He was succeeded by his son, Philip of Alsace, who did much for the great towns of his dominions, Ghent, Bruges, Ypres, Lille, Douai, etc. He was a wise ruler and sternly repressed all up risings against his authority. He died in 1191 at Acre during the Third Crusade. He was succeeded by Baldwin of Hainaut, and thus Hainaut was united with Flanders under one ruler. In the following century the growth of the free towns brought a new danger to the supremacy of the Counts of Flanders. Their authority over these communities became merely nominal and some cities did not hesitate to take up arms when they believed their rights in vaded. The Flemings even induced Edward III of England to assume the title of King of France and this coupled with his invasion, was the moving cause of the Hundred Years' War. After 1300 Flanders was little more than a French province, the counts being obliged to resort thither for aid in their troubles with the free municipalities. The latter under the lead ership of Artevelde became allies of Edward III. Flanders was joined to Burgundy in 1369 under Philip the Bold. Thereafter Flanders was never a separate state. The Burgundian rule was marked by revolts in the towns but these were repressed with a stern hand, espe cially those of Bruges in 1440 and of Ghent in 1540. The War of Dutch Independence brought ruin to Flanders, which in 1599 came under the rule of Albert and Isabel. In 1633 Flanders came under Spanish rule and in 1648 the northwestern part (Dutch Flanders) was ceded to the United Provinces by Philip IV. In 1659, 1668 and 1679 portions of the south were ceded to France forming the section known as French Flanders. In 1795-1814 Flan ders formed part of France and was divided into the departments of the Scheldt and of the Lys. This division corresponds to the modern division into East and West Flanders in modern Belgium. (See BELGIUM, HISTORY; WAR, Eu ROPEAN ). Consult Kervyn de Lettenhove toire de Flandre) (5th ed., 4 vols., Bruges 1898).