Fort-Mardyck

Fort-Mardyck
Fort-Mardyck
Location within Nord-Pas-de-Calais region  Fort-Mardyck
Administration
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department	Nord
Arrondissement	Dunkerque
Canton	Grande-Synthe
Intercommunality	Dunkerque grand littoral
Mayor	Roméo Ragazzo (2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation	2–9 m (6.6–30 ft) (avg. 4 m or 13 ft)
Land area1	1.41 km2 (0.54 sq mi)
Population2	3,770  (1999)
- Density	2,674 /km2 (6,930 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	59248/ 59430
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Fort-Mardyck (Dutch: Fort-Mardijk) is an ancient commune in the Nord department in northern France.

History

A map of the fort of Mardyck and the attacks of 1646, from the Atlas van Loon.

The fort of Mardyck was constructed in 1622 by architect Jean Gamel. It was built for the Spanish who ruled Flanders at the time. The fort was captured, lost, and captured again by the French between 1644 and 1658. It was until the Battle of the Dunes (June 14, 1658) that the fort came under the control of the English. After having bought Dunkirk and the fort of Mardyck from the English in 1662, King Louis XIV of France ordered that the fort be dismantled. On 12 February 1867, a French imperial decree established Fort-Mardyck as an independent municipality.

Heraldry

The arms of Fort-Mardyck are blazoned : Gules, unicorn saliant argent, on a chief a sun in her splendour, all within a bordure Or. (The emblazon shows a per fess field, which would make more sense, rather than a field and chief...)

See also

• Communes of the Nord department

References

• INSEE commune file

External links

• Flags of the World - Fort Mardyck