FLA 
444 
declarations of war againft France and its territories, 
made ufually an exception of the Flemings; although 
Flanders was in thofe days deemed a part, or at leaft a 
fief, of the French ponarchy. Yet this lingular inftance 
of the friendfbip of England, by no means tended to ap- 
peafe the internal commotions in Flanders ; on the con¬ 
trary, in 1328, the animofity of the opulent city of Bruges, 
joined to that of fome other Flemifh cities, againft their 
earl, was fo great as to break out into frefli rebellion ; 
but their earl now prevailed over them, and they were 
difcomfited, with the lofs of 22,000 men. 
Edward Ilf. of England, when meditating the cohquefl 
of France, failed not to take advantage of thefe commo¬ 
tions in Flanders, to engage the bulk of the people in his 
intereft; though fome ofthe principal cities long continued 
wavering. “ Ghent, being at this time the head city of 
Flanders, fometimes hefitated (fays Mezerai) in its incli¬ 
nations, between the fear of the power of France on the 
one hand, and the danger of difobliging the Englifb on the 
other ; from whom they had all their wool which fup- 
plied the infinite number of cloth-workers in their nume¬ 
rous cities, towns, and villages, with the great material 
of their manufactures. Edward (trove the more to make 
a ftrong party for himfelf in Flanders, to prevent their 
favouring the French intereft. For this end, he gained 
over the famous James d’Arferille, who, though only a 
brewer in Ghent, had obtained fo great credit in all 
Flanders, that, in 1335, he brought the principal cities 
at once to revolt againft their earl, who, not being able 
to refill his power, was obliged to withdraw into France.” 
Edward, therefore, affembled his army in Flanders, and 
from thence opened a paffage.into France. And in 1346, 
fo intimate a connexion was formed between England 
and Flanders, their earl having been killed in tlie battle 
of CrefTy, that Edward III. caufed nobles, half-nobles, 
and quarter-nobles of gold, to be coined in his name in. 
Flanders, declaring that they fttould have the fame cur¬ 
rency as in England, for the public utility, and conve¬ 
nience of merchants. This good underftanding feems to 
have been kept up between the two nations, with very 
little interruption, until the year 1369, w hen Philip duke 
of Burgundy, marrying Margaret the hcirefs of Flanders, 
became, by that marriage, pofl'effed of all the provinces 
of the Netherlands, which drew very great consequences 
after it. On that account Edward III. of England quar¬ 
relled with the Flemings, and feized on their (hipping at 
fea. Yet, three years after, the cities of Bruges, Ghent, 
and Ypres, made their peace with Edward, upon their 
entering into a neutrality, fo as not to aid France againft 
England. Here ended the fovereignty of the earls of 
Flanders ; and the hiftory of the Flemings, from this 
era, becomes blended with the general affairs of the 
Netherlands ; for which fee that article. 
Flanders came at length to be divided between the 
Dutch States, the French, and the Auftrians, (fee Ne¬ 
therlands ;) for, in the fifteenth century, the archduke 
Maximilian, marrying the daughter of Charles the Bold, 
the county went with her to the houfe of Auftria. The 
northern part of the county was ceded to the States Ge¬ 
neral, partly by the peace of Munfter, and partly by the 
barrier treaty, in 17x5. Tn 1667, the fouthern part was 
feized by France. In this (late of partition it continued, 
with little variation, until the late revolutionary war in 
France.. The Andrian part of Flanders contained Ghent, 
Courtray, Detidermond, Bruges, Ypres, Popperingen, 
Tournay, Oftend, and Nieuport ; with many other walled 
towns, and feveral hundred villages ; it was always con- 
fidered as the mod rich and fertile in pafturage, and in 
the. breed of cattle ; and it was the earlieft of any country 
without the Mediterranean, that entered into the manu- 
faCture of woollen and linen cloths. 
Dutch Flanders contained Sluys, the once famed har¬ 
bour of which is now fo choaked up as only to admit 
final 1 velfels. The ifle of Cadzant, alfo in this diftritff, 
has.been partly fwept away by the fea. Other towns in 
FLA 
this divifion are, Biervliet on the Weft Scheldt, Hulft, 
and Axel, both well fortified ; Sas van Ghent, a ftrong 
fortrefs below the city of Ghent ; with many other fmall 
towns and populous villages. By the Barrier treaty be¬ 
tween the emperor of Germany and the States General, 
in 1715, the Dutch were to garrifon Namur, Tournayj 
Menin, Turnes, Ypres, Warneton, and Fort K,noque ; 
and the two contracting potentates agreed to keep up 
jointly a (landing army of 40,000 men. 
French Flanders, (to- whom the whole province origi¬ 
nally belonged, after driving out the Belgte,) was by far 
the mod opulent and,extenfive. It contained the beau¬ 
tiful city of Lifie, next in rank to Paris; alfo Douay, 
Cambray, Dunkirk, Graveline, Bourbourg, St. Wynox- 
berg, Caffel, the capital of a large caftellany, fituated on 
the only mountain in Flanders; alfo many other fortified 
towns, and large villages. This diflridt is likewife ex¬ 
tremely rich in pafture, abounding in navigable rivers and 
canals, and once highly famous for its manufactures of 
fillcs, camblets, cloths, (luffs, linens, &c. But almoft 
the whole of Flanders is now fwallowed up in the new 
empire of France. 
The climate is temperate and wholefome; the foil, in 
general, is fertile and fit for tillage. In fome places the 
fertility is uncommonly great. The land bears all kinds 
of corn and vegetables. Flax is a great fource of riches 
to the country. The pafture grounds are excellent, and 
nourifti a valuable breed of cattle, which produce rich 
cheefe and butter. The breed of horfes and fheep is alfo 
confiderable. The Flemings were at one time the prin¬ 
cipal manufacturers of Europe ; from them the Englilh 
were taught the art.of weaving, and perhaps too the art 
of agriculture; though this blefting to human induftry 
has been for many years unaccountably negleCted in that 
rich and fertile country. The mod beautiful table-linen 
is yet the manufacture of Flanders ; and the lace is fupe- 
rior, perhaps, to all others. The principal rivers are 
the Scheldt and the Lys. 
FLA'NITZ, a town of Germany, in the duchy of 
Stiria : ten miles north of Graz. 
FLANK, f. \Jianc, Fr. according to Menage, from 
7 \ccyu>v ; more probably from latus, Lat.] That part of 
the fide of a quadruped near the hinder thigh.—The 
belly (hall be eminent by (hadowing the flank. Peddkam .— 
[In men.] The lateral part of the lower belly : 
He faid, and pois’d in air, the jav’lin fent ; 
Through Paris’ fflield the forceful weapon went, 
His corflet pierces, and his garment rends, 
And glancing downward near his flank defcends. Pope. 
The fide of any army or fleet.—Great ordnance and fmall 
fliot thundered and (flowered upon our men from the ram- 
pier in front, and from the gallies that lay at fea in flank. 
Bacon. 
To right and left the front 
Divided, and to either flank retired. Milton. 
[In fortification.] That part of the baftion which reaches 
from the curtain to the face, and defends the oppofite 
face, the flank and the curtain. See the article Fortifi¬ 
cation. 
To FLANK, v. a. To attack the fide of a battalion or 
fleet. To be polled fo as to overlook or command any 
pafs on the fide : 
With fates averfe againft their king’s command, 
Arm’d on the right, and on the left they (land, 
And flank the paffage. Drydcn. 
To fecure on the fide : 
By the rich fcent we found our perfum’d prey, 
Which, flunk'd with rocks, did clofe in covert lay. Diyden. 
FLANK'ARDS, J. Among hunters; the knots or 
nuts in the flank of a deer. 
FLANK'ER,/. A fortification jutting cut fo as to 
command the fide of a body marching to the affault; 
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