Louis François de Boufflers, Duke of Boufflers was a prominent French soldier in the age of Louis XIV of France. He was created count of Cagny and duke of Boufflers and named marshal of France. He was famed for his excellent defensive leadership during the sieges of Namur and Lille, next to his conduct during the Battle of Malplaquet.

French Flanders is a part of the historical County of Flanders, where Flemish—a Low Franconian dialect cluster of Dutch—was traditionally spoken. The region lies in the modern-day northern French region of Hauts-de-France, and roughly corresponds to the arrondissements of Lille, Douai and Dunkirk on the northern border with Belgium. Together, with French Hainaut and Cambrésis, it makes up the French Department of Nord.