Editing Knokke-Heist (section)

===Middle Ages===
[[Image:Knokke-Heist Visscherkapelletje.jpg|thumb|left|Chapel of the fishermen in Heist]]
Originally, the marshy [[Zwin]] area was mostly settled by shepherds and fishermen.  With the encouragement of the [[Counts of Flanders]], several [[dyke (construction)|dyke]]s were built between the 11th and the 13th century and the land successfully [[Dewatering|dewatered]], giving rise to agriculture and further sheep breeding.  New parishes were founded and the early settlement of Sint-Anna-ter-Muiden, later made part of Westkapelle, obtained city rights in 1242.

The strategic importance of the Zwin harbour was recognized in 1301, during the war between Count [[Guy of Dampierre]] and the French King [[Philip IV of France|Philip the Fair]].  During the [[Hundred Years' War]] that followed shortly after, several battles were fought between France and England for supremacy of the area including the [[Battle of Sluys]] in June 1340.  The local population tried to remain neutral as it was politically tied to Flanders, then allied to France, but economically dependent on wool from England.  Under [[Philip the Bold]]’s leadership, it took advantage of the relative peace of the end of the century to fortify the canal linking the Zwin to the port of [[Bruges]].