View source for Bouches-de-l'Elbe

{{Short description|Annexed department of the First French Empire}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                    = Bouches-de-l'Elbe
|native_name             = Elbmündungen
|native_name_lang        = de
|settlement_type         = [[Departments of France|Department]]
|image_skyline           = Departement-Elbmündungen.jpg
|imagesize               = 
|image_alt               = 
|image_caption           = Contemporary map (1812)
|image_map               = Bouches-de-l'Elbe departement (1812).svg
|map_alt                 =
|map_caption             = Location of Bouches-de-l'Elbe in France (1812)
|etymology               = 
|nickname                = 
|coordinates             = {{Coord|53.5833|N|9.98333|E|source:kolossus-rowiki|display=title}}
|population_total        = 
|subdivision_type        = Country
|subdivision_name        = First French Empire
|subdivision_type1       = [[Departments of France|Department]]
|subdivision_name1       = Bouches-de-l'Elbe
}}
{{History of Hamburg}}

'''Bouches-de-l'Elbe''' ({{IPA|fr|buʃ də lɛlb}}; {{Langx|de|Elbmündungen}}, {{IPA|de|ˈɛlpˌmʏndʊŋən|pron}}; <small>both</small> {{lit|Mouths of the [[Elbe]]}}) was a [[departments of France|department]] of the [[First French Empire]] in present-day [[Germany]] that survived for three years. It was named after the mouth of the river [[Elbe]]. It was formed in 1811, when the region, originally belonging partially to [[Bremen-Verden]] (which in 1807 had been intermittently incorporated into the [[Kingdom of Westphalia]]), to Hamburg, [[Free City of Lübeck|Lübeck]] and [[Saxe-Lauenburg]], was annexed by France. Its territory is part of the present-day German states of [[Lower Saxony]], [[Schleswig-Holstein]] and Hamburg. Its capital was Hamburg.

The department was subdivided into four [[arrondissement]]s and the following [[canton (administrative division)|cantons]] (situation in 1812, French translated names where applicable):<ref name=Gallica>[http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k204214z/f372.image Almanach Impérial an bissextil MDCCCXII], p. 376-377, accessed in [[Gallica]] 24 July 2013 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

* [[Hamburg]] ({{langx|fr|Hambourg}}), cantons: [[Hamburg]] (6 cantons), [[Bergedorf]], [[Hamm, Hamburg|Hamm]] and [[Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg|Wilhelmsburg]].
* [[Lübeck]] ({{langx|fr|Lubeck|link=no}}), cantons: [[Lübeck]] (2 cantons), [[Lauenburg (Elbe)|Lauenburg upon Elbe]], [[Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein|Mölln]], [[Amt Neuhaus|Neuhaus upon Elbe]], [[Ratzeburg]], [[Schwarzenbek]] and [[Steinhorst, Schleswig-Holstein|Steinhorst]].
* [[Lüneburg]] ({{langx|fr|Lunebourg|link=no}}), cantons: [[Lüneburg]], [[Bardowick]], [[Buxtehude]], [[Garlstorf]], [[Harburg (quarter)|Harburg]], [[Seevetal|Hittfeld]], [[Tostedt]] and [[Winsen (Luhe)|Winsen upon Luhe]]. 
* [[Stade]], cantons: [[Stade]], [[Bremervörde]], [[Freiburg, Lower Saxony|Freiburg upon Elbe]], [[Himmelpforten]], [[Horneburg]], [[Neuhaus (Oste)|Neuhaus upon Oste]], [[Otterndorf]], [[Cuxhaven|Ritzebüttel]], [[Jork]] and [[Zeven]].

Its population in 1812 was 375,976.<ref name=Gallica/>

After [[Napoleon]] was defeated in 1814, the department were dissolved and the area was redivided between the [[Kingdom of Hanover]] (Bremen-Verden), the [[Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg]], and the [[Free Imperial City|free cities]] of Hamburg and Lübeck.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Bouches-de-l'Elbe}}

{{Annexed departments of the First French Empire}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouches-De-L'elbe}}
[[Category:Military history of Hamburg]]
[[Category:Former departments of France in Germany]]
[[Category:1811 establishments in the First French Empire]]
[[Category:19th century in Hamburg]]
[[Category:Military history of Lübeck]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1811]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1814]]


{{Hamburg-stub}}