Lilloise Flanders (Dutch: Rijsels-Vlaanderen, French: La Flandre lilloise) was a semi-independent part of the County of Flanders, composed of the burgraviates of Lille, Douai and Orchies.
Another name used for this territory is Walloon Flanders, but this name is confusing, as it refers to language, whereas it should refer to geography. Furthermore, the French spoken in Lilloise Flanders was not Walloon, but Picard.
History
Lilloise Flanders belonged from 1304 to 1369 to the Kingdom of France by the Treaty of Athis-sur-Orge which concluded the Franco-Flemish War (1297-1305).
It was to some degree independent from the County of Flanders and is in some lists even seen as one of the Seventeen Provinces. Furthermore, Lilloise Flanders adhered to the Union of Arras in 1579, where as the Couny of Flanders joined the Union of Utrecht.
In 1678, Lilloise Flanders was annexed to France after the Treaties of Nijmegen.
Together with Maritime Flanders, it forms French Flanders.
Today it is part of the Departement du Nord and roughly corresponds with the Arrondissement of Lille and the Arrondissement of Douai.