Editing Middelburg, Zeeland (section)

==History== 
[[File:Blaeu 1652 - Middelburg.jpg|thumb|left|Middelburg in 1652]]
[[File:Gezicht op het stadhuis te Middelburg (1905-1915).jpg|thumb|left|[[Town hall of Middelburg|Middelburg's city hall]] around 1910]]

The city of Middelburg dates back possibly to the late 8th century or early 9th century. The first mention of Middelburg was as one of three fortified towns (''borgs'') erected on [[Walcheren]] (then an island) to guard against [[Viking]] raids. In 844 a [[monastery]] was built on the site, which remained an active Catholic foundation until the Reformation. Foundations for Middelburg's "stately and picturesque" main church were first laid in the 10th century; additional construction continued through the Middle Ages.

Middelburg was granted [[City rights in the Netherlands|city rights]] in 1217. During the [[Middle Ages]], it became an important trading centre in the commerce between England and the rising cities of [[County of Flanders|Flanders]], a fact commented on by [[Geoffrey Chaucer]] in ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]''. The town continued to gain in power and prestige during the 13th and 14th centuries.

From 1559 to 1603, Middelburg was the episcopal see of a Catholic [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg|bishopric]] covering all [[Zeeland]]. In the [[Eighty Years' War]], the city was [[Siege of Middelburg (1572–1574)|captured by Dutch rebels]] from the Spanish forces during a long siege (1572–1574). The northern provinces of the Low Countries won their independence from their former Spanish Habsburg rulers and formed the [[Dutch Republic]], a Protestant state. Later, during the 17th century (the [[Dutch Golden Age]]), Middelburg became, after [[Holland]]'s metropolis [[Amsterdam]], the most important center for the [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC) in the [[Dutch Republic|Republic]] of the Seven United Netherlands. As such, Middelburg also played an important role in the 17th century [[History of slavery|slave trade]].{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Samuel Ben Israel, son of [[Menasseh Ben Israel]], is buried in Middelburg at the Sephardic burial site located at the 'Jodengang' outside the citywall. Menasseh Ben Israel negotiated with [[Cromwell]] the opening of England, and its colonies, to the Jews. Middelburg also has an Ashkenazic burial site, which is located  at the Walensingel inside the city wall. In 1994 the synagogue was restored, as it was partially destroyed during the Second World War. This synagogue was the third one to be built in the Netherlands during the Golden Age. In the hall of the railway station there is a plaque of remembrance for the Jews of Zeeland who started their journey to the death camps from the Middelburg train station.
[[File:Middelburg-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg|left|thumb|Topographic map of Middelburg, as of September 2014]]
About a third of the old city centre was devastated by bombs and fire in the early phases of World War II, on 17 May 1940. It is still not certain if German bombers or French artillery were responsible.<ref>{{cite web|title=Middelburg|url=http://www.waroverholland.nl/index.php?page=middelburg|website=War over Holland|access-date=30 April 2016}}</ref> The town was captured and liberated by British troops during [[Operation Infatuate]] on 6 November 1944.<ref>J.N. Houterman, ''Buffaloes bevrijden Middelburg, 6 november 1944'' (Middelburg : Gemeente Middelburg, 1990)</ref> After the War, as much of the destroyed part of the old town center was rebuilt and restored along pre-War lines as far as was possible. The city's archives, however, had been incinerated during the German bombardment.

Modern Middelburg has preserved and regained much of its historic and picturesque character. There are lavish 17th and 18th century merchant houses and storehouses standing along [[canal]]s, of a similar style as found in cities like [[Amsterdam]]. The old city [[moat]]s are still there, as are two of the [[city gate]]s, the Koepoort Gate and the Varkenspoort Gate. Part of the 18th century moat and defence works, however, were demolished in the 19th century to make way for a commercial canal that crosses [[Walcheren]] from [[Vlissingen]] to [[Veere]]. The medieval abbey is still in use today, as a museum and as the seat of the provincial government.