Flanders is a region between the river Scheldt and the coast on the France and Belgium border. It is divided into east and west Flanders. The erection of the territory into a county took place in the 9th century, and was made by Philip the Bold, king of France, in favour of his son-in-law, Baldwin. It afterwards passed to the united houses of Spain and Austria, and ultimately to the latter, but underwent considerable curtailment by the conquests of the French in the west, when part of it became French Flanders, and by the conquests of the Dutch in the north. The remainder still retains its ancient name, and forms the modern provinces of East and West Flanders, in Belgium.
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Flanders