Ourthe (department)


Ourthe was a department of the French First Republic and French First Empire in present-day Belgium and Germany. It was named after the river Ourthe. Its territory corresponded more or less with that of the present-day Belgian province of Liège and a small adjacent region in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands, the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and the left bank of the Rhine were officially annexed by the French Republic. Before this annexation, the territory included in the department had lain partly in the Bishopric of Liège, the Abbacy of Stavelot-Malmedy, the Duchies of Limburg, Luxembourg and Brabant, and the County of Namur.
The Chef-lieu of the department was Liège. The department was subdivided into the following three arrondissements and cantons:
After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, most of the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the province of Liège. The easternmost part became part of the Prussian Rhine Province; part of this was taken back into Liège province after the First World War, under the Treaty of Versailles.

Administration

Prefects

The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department.
Term startTerm endOffice holder
2 March 180017 April 1806Antoine François Ehrard Marie Catherine Desmousseaux de Givre
17 April 180630 May 1814Charles Emmanuel Micoud d'Umons

Secretaries-General

The Secretary-General was the deputy to the Prefect.
Term startTerm endOffice holder
2 March 1800?? ?? 1806Rémy Victor Gaillard
?? ?? 1806?? ?? 1809Aubert
?? ?? 1809?? ?? 1811Caselli
?? ?? 181130 May 1814Georges Bénigne Liegeard

Subprefects of Huy

Subprefects of Liège

The office of Subprefect of Liège was held by the Prefect until 1811.
Term startTerm endOffice holder
11 January 181130 May 1814Charles Bouziès de Rouvroy

Subprefects of Malmedy