Jemmape () was a department of the First French Republic and of the First French Empire in present-day Belgium. It was named after the Battle of Jemappes, fought between the French and the Austrians in 1792 near the village of Jemappes, near Mons. Jemappes was spelled Jemmape, Jemmapes or Jemmappes at the time. Its territory corresponded more or less with that of the Belgian province of Hainaut. It was firstly created on 2 March 1793, and then recreated on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège were officially annexed by the French Republic. Before annexation, its territory lay in the County of Hainaut, Tournai and the Tournaisis, the County of Namur (Charleroi) and the Bishopric of Liège (Thuin).
The Chef-lieu of the department was Mons. The department was subdivided into the following three arrondissements and cantons: Mons: Boussu, Chièvres, Dour, Enghien, Lens, Le Roeulx, Mons (2 cantons), Pâturages and Soignies. Charleroi: Beaumont, Binche, Charleroi (2 cantons), Chimay, Fontaine-l'Évêque, Gosselies, Merbes-le-Château, Seneffe and Thuin. Tournai: Antoing, Ath, Celles, Ellezelles, Frasnes, Lessines, Leuze, Péruwelz, Quevaucamps, Templeuve and Tournai (2 cantons).
After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department was dissolved and later it became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands as the province of Hainaut.
Administration Prefects The Prefect was the highest state representative in the department. Term startTerm endOffice holder2 March 18001 February 1805Jean-Baptiste Étienne Garnier1 February 18057 August 1810Patrice Charles Gislain De Coninck7 August 18108 February 1812Jean-Baptiste Maximilien Villot de Fréville8 February 18129 March 1812Benoît Joseph Holvoet9 March 181230 May 1814Pierre-Clément de Laussat
Secretaries-General The Secretary-General was the deputy to the Prefect. Term startTerm endOffice holder2 March 180030 May 1814Robert La Vallée
Subprefects of Charleroi Term startTerm endOffice holder26 April 180030 May 1814Stanislas Joseph Troye
Subprefects of Mons The office of Subprefect of Mons was held by the Prefect until 1811. Term startTerm endOffice holder14 January 181111 April 1811Philibert François Jean Baptiste Joseph Vander Haegen de Mussain11 April 181130 May 1814Defraye de Schiplaecken
Subprefects of Tournai Term startTerm endOffice holder25 April 18003 February 1804François Magloire Joseph Goblet3 February 180430 May 1814Nicolas Lahure
References