Lys (department)

Lys is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium. It is named after the river Lys. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Southern Netherlands were annexed by France. Before its occupation, its territory was part of the county of Flanders.

Its capital was Bruges. The département was subdivided into the following arrondissements and cantons:

• Bruges, cantons: Ardooie, Bruges, Gistel, Ostend, Ruiselede, Tielt and Torhout.
• Kortrijk, cantons: Avelgem, Harelbeke, Ingelmunster, Kortrijk, Menen, Meulebeke, Moorsele, Oostrozebeke and Roeselare.
• Veurne, cantons: Diksmuide, Haringe, Nieuwpoort and Veurne.
• Ypres, cantons: Elverdinge, Hooglede, Mesen, Passendale, Poperinge, Wervik and Ypres.

After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the département became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its territory corresponds more or less with the present Belgian province West Flanders.