Editing Heerhugowaard (section)

== History ==
Around the year 800, the area of the modern Heerhugowaard was covered in [[peat]] [[fen]]. Because of peat-digging and storm floods, many lakes developed in the region, including the Heerhugowaard. The name is derived from word ('heer' in Dutch) Hugo van [[Assendelft]] who was killed by the West [[Frisians]] in this area in 1296. After two storms in 1248, the abbey of [[Egmond Abbey|Egmond]], which had much property in this region, built the ''Schagerdam'' at [[Schagen]]. This became part of the [[Westfriese Omringdijk]], which protected the pentagon [[Schagen]] - [[Alkmaar]] - [[Medemblik]] - [[Enkhuizen]] - [[Hoorn]].

[[Waterwolf|Uncontrollable increase of the lake]] had been prevented. In the 17th century private investors decided to drain the lake to create farmland. In 1630 the [[polder]] was drained and the {{cvt|39.0|km2}} of land was divided among the investors. In contrast to e.g. the [[Beemster]], the new land was poor quality, and in 1674 there was a proposal to refill the polder, as fishing would be more profitable.