Editing Mook en Middelaar (section)

==History==
The municipality is situated in wooded rolling [[moraine]] landscape, created during the [[Last Glacial Period|last ice age]], about 160,000 years ago.

In Plasmolen the remains of a Roman villa from the 2nd century AD were found and on the banks of the [[Meuse (river)|Meuse]] are the remains of a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] bridge. These remains are from the 4th century.

The Mookerheide ("Mook Heath"), situated on the border of Mook, saw the [[Battle of Mookerheyde]] in 1574 which was fought as part of the [[Eighty Years War]]. Spanish forces under [[Sancho d'Avila]] defeated the rebel forces of [[Louis of Nassau]], who was killed.

The ''Mookerschans'' and ''Heumense schans'' were defenses on the ''Mookerheide'' probably from the 17th century.
(At that time the Mookerheide area extended all the way to the citywalls of [[Nijmegen]])
The historical ''Mookerheideschans'' (defense work) has been restored and offers a beautiful view over the Meuse valley.

Middelaar belonged to Overkwartier (Upper Quarter) of [[Guelders]] or [[Upper Guelders]]. During the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] Middelaar was occupied by [[Prussia]]n troops, and it remained German for about a century (until 1814).

In the [[Second World War]] a fierce battle raged around this area. In May 1940 the invaders were stopped by large bunkers 
on the Brabant-side of the Meuse, the railway bridge between Mook and Katwijk was blown up.
In September 1944 Mook, Plasmolen and Middelaar were in the front area and the war caused much devastation. While under fire of German guns that were shooting from the woods near Groesbeek, allied soldiers had to secure the Heumen bridge over the Maas-Waal canal that was an important hub for [[operation Market Garden]]. Fierce fighting caused the front to move so the little village, of which most houses were shot in this period, was liberated to fall back in German hands, to be liberated again.
Soldiers killed in this vicinity during World War II found their final resting place in [[Mook War Cemetery]]
Most inhabitants of Mook and Middelaar sought refuge elsewhere until the liberation.

To support the cement industry, sand was dug out in the fields next to the river Maas (known as 'Cuyksesteeg') which consequently lead to the forming of the Mookerplassen recreational lakes, between Middelaar and the Mookerheide. After a couple of floodings in the 80s and 90s a removable lock was built to save the area from flooding again.