Interactive maps
Flanders as we know it now only took shape from the 19th century on in the context of modern Belgium. Before that time the name referred to the old county, which roughly speaking covered the present-day provinces of East- and West-Flanders as well as Zeeland-Flanders and French-Flanders. However, what today is called Flanders was in the past a colourful amalgam of territories that led a fairly independent existence before becoming part of wider political units such as the Burgundian, the Spanish or the Austrian Netherlands. For a long time he language border, which today marks off the Flemish Region, had little political meaning. Language only became a nation-forming factor in Europe in the 19th century.
For this canon 17 historical maps were designed by the committee and Hans Blomme of the Ghent Center for Digital Humanities. You will find these maps in some windows. 16 maps are included in the animation below. [here you can click to find the sources used]
![Relief map of North-West Europe](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2023/04/00_0.1-relief_K_1.jpg.jpg)
![Soil association map of North-West Europe](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2023/06/0.2-bodemkaart_K_1_versie-09.05.2023-zonder-randen-crop-crop.jpg)
![North-West Europe under the Romans, c. 117](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/1-ca117_EN-A_2.jpg)
![North-West Europe under the Franks, 9th century](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/3-ca843_EN-K_2.jpg)
![Medieval principalities in the Netherlands, 14th century](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/4-ca1350_EN-K.jpg)
![The Burgundian Netherlands, 14th-15th century](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/5-ca1477_EN-K.jpg)
![The Habsburg Netherlands under Charles V, mid-16th century](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/6-ca1555_EN-K.jpg)
![The division of the Netherlands, 1568-1648](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/7-ca1648_EN-K.jpg)
![French expansion to the north, 1659-1713](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/8-ca1713_EN-K.jpg)
![The Austro-Habsburg Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, 18th century](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/9.ca1775_EN_K.jpg)
![North-West Europe under French rule, 1812](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/10.ca1812_EN_K.jpg)
![Kingdom of the Netherlands, 1815-1830](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/11-ca1815_EN_K.jpg)
![The creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, 1830-1839](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/12-ca1830_EN_K.jpg)
![The Kingdom of Belgium, 1839](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/13-ca1839_EN_K.jpg)
![Belgium after the Versailles peace treaty (30 June 1919)](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/14-ca1919_EN_K.jpg)
![The federalization of Belgium, 1970-1993](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/15-contemp_EN_K.jpg)
![Relief map of North-West Europe legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2023/04/0.1-relief_L_1.jpg)
![Soil association map of North-West Europe legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/0.2-bodemkaart_EN_L.jpg)
![North-West Europe under the Romans, c. 117 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/1-ca117_EN-L_2.jpg)
![North-West Europe under the Franks, 9th century legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/3-ca843_EN-L.jpg)
![Medieval principalities in the Netherlands, 14th century legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/4-ca1350_EN-L.jpg)
![The Burgundian Netherlands, 14th-15th century legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/5-ca1477_EN-L.jpg)
![The Habsburg Netherlands under Charles V, mid-16th century legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/6-ca1555_EN-L.jpg)
![The division of the Netherlands, 1568-1648 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/7-ca1648_EN-L.jpg)
![French expansion to the north, 1659-1713 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/8-ca1713_EN-L.jpg)
![The Austro-Habsburg Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, 18th century legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/9.ca1775_EN_L.jpg)
![North-West Europe under French rule, 1812 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/10.ca1812_EN_L.jpg)
![Kingdom of the Netherlands, 1815-1830 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/11-ca1815_EN_L.jpg)
![The creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, 1830-1839 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/12-ca1830_EN_L.jpg)
![The Kingdom of Belgium, 1839 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/13-ca1839_EN_L.jpg)
![Belgium after the Versailles peace treaty (30 June 1919) legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/14-ca1919_EN_L.jpg)
![The federalization of Belgium, 1970-1993 legend](https://www.canonvanvlaanderen.be:443/content/uploads/2024/03/15-contemp_EN_L.jpg)