Editing Meuse (section)

== History ==

From 1301, the upper Meuse roughly marked the western border of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] with the [[France in the Middle Ages|Kingdom of France]], after Count [[Henry III, Count of Bar|Henry III of Bar]] had to receive the western part of the [[County of Bar]] (''Barrois mouvant'') as a French fief from the hands of King [[Philip IV of France|Philip IV]]. In 1408, a Burgundian army led by [[John the Fearless]] went to the aid of [[John III, Duke of Bavaria|John III]] against the citizens of Liège, who were in open revolt. After the [[Battle of Othée|battle]], which saw the men from Liège defeated, John ordered the drowning in the Meuse of burghers and noblemen in Liège whose loyalties he suspected.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Loo |first=Bart van |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xvgJEAAAQBAJ |title=The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire: A History of 1111 Years and One Day |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-78954-343-8 |location=London |chapter=Let Them All Die |oclc=1264400332 |access-date=2022-09-16 |archive-date=2024-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513103546/https://books.google.com/books?id=xVgjEAAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The border remained relatively stable until the annexation of the [[Three Bishoprics]] Metz, Toul and Verdun by King [[Henry II of France|Henry II]] in 1552 and the occupation of the [[Duchy of Lorraine]] by the forces of King [[Louis XIII]] in 1633. Its lower Belgian ([[Wallonia|Walloon]]) portion, part of the [[sillon industriel]], was the first fully industrialized area in continental Europe.<ref name="Atlas">{{cite web | title=Wallonie : une région en Europe | url=http://sder.wallonie.be/ICEDD/CAP-atlasWallonie2006/pages/atlas.asp?txt=conWalEur | publisher=Ministère de la Région wallonne | access-date=September 29, 2007 | language=fr | archive-date=May 31, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531053536/http://sder.wallonie.be/ICEDD/CAP-atlasWallonie2006/pages/atlas.asp?txt=conWalEur | url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Afgedamde Maas]] was created in the late Middle Ages, when a major flood made a connection between the Maas and the [[Merwede]] at the town of [[Woudrichem]]. From that moment on, the current Afgedamde Maas was the main branch of the lower Meuse. The former main branch eventually silted up and is today called the [[Oude Maasje]]. In the late 19th century and early 20th century the connection between the Maas and Rhine was closed off and the Maas was given a new, artificial mouth – the [[Bergse Maas]]. The resulting separation of the rivers Rhine and Maas reduced the risk of flooding and was considered to be the greatest achievement in Dutch hydraulic engineering before the completion of the [[Zuiderzee Works]] and [[Delta Works]].<ref name=BergseMaas>{{cite book |title=Honderd Jaar Bergse Maas |author=Van der Aalst & De Jongh |publisher=Pictures Publishing |year=2004 |language=nl |isbn= 90-73187-50-8 }}</ref><ref name="Wols 2011">{{cite web |url=https://www.bhic.nl/de-uitvoering-van-de-maasmondingswerken |title=De Uitvoering van de Maasmondingswerken |first=Rien |last=Wols |website=Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum |year=2011 |language=nl |access-date=2014-10-26 |archive-date=2014-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103101754/https://www.bhic.nl/de-uitvoering-van-de-maasmondingswerken |url-status=live }}</ref> The former main branch was, after the dam at its southern inlet was completed in 1904, renamed ''Afgedamde Maas'' and no longer receives water from the Maas.

The Meuse and its crossings were a key objective of the [[Battle of France]], the [[Battle of Sedan (1940)|Battle of Sedan]] and also for the last major German WWII counter-offensive on the [[Western Front (World War II)|Western Front]], the [[Battle of the Bulge]] in December 1944 and January 1945.<!--- [[Operation Northwind (1944)]] was he last ofensive]] --->

The Meuse is represented in the documentary ''The River People'' released in 2012 by Xavier Istasse.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eurochannel.com/en/The-River-People-Xavier-Istasse-Belgium.html |title=Presentation of The River People on Eurochannel |access-date=2014-10-28 |archive-date=2014-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029003441/http://www.eurochannel.com/en/The-River-People-Xavier-Istasse-Belgium.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2021, the Meuse basin was one of the many regions in Europe to experience catastrophic flooding during the [[2021 European floods#Belgium|2021 European floods]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Barneveld |first1=Hermjan |last2=Hoitink |first2=A. J. F. |last3=Frings |first3=R. M. |date=2022 |title=Massive morphological changes during the 2021 summer flood in the River Meuse |url=https://www.hkv.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Massive-morphological-changes-during-the-2021-summer-flood-in-the-River-Meuse_HJB.pdf |access-date=21 December 2022 |website=hkv.nl |archive-date=21 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221152442/https://www.hkv.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Massive-morphological-changes-during-the-2021-summer-flood-in-the-River-Meuse_HJB.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>