Editing Walcheren (section)

===Early history===
The Romans called the island "Wallacra". As early as Roman times, the island functioned as a point of departure for ships going to [[Roman Britain|Britain]];  it had a temple of the goddess [[Nehalennia]] who was popular with those who braved the waters of the North Sea. 

Walcheren became the seat of the [[Viking|Danish Viking]] [[Harald the Younger|Harald]] (fl. 841–842), who conquered what would become the Netherlands together with his brother [[Rorik of Dorestad|Rorik]] (fl. 842–873) (or [[Rurik]]) in the ninth century. One [[fringe theory]] has it that [[Ahmad ibn Rustah]] (fl. 10th century) described Walcheren when reporting on  the seat of the [[Rus' Khaganate]].<ref>
{{cite book
| last1                 = Aleksandrov
| first1                = A. A.
| author-link1          = 
| script-title=ru:Остров руссов
|trans-title=The island of the Rus'
| language              = Russian
| location              = St. Petersburg-Kishinev
| publication-date      = 1997
| pages                  = 222–224
}}
</ref>
Another fringe theory mentions Walcheren as the seat of [[Hades]], described by [[Homer]].<ref>
[[Where Troy Once Stood#Geography of the Odyssey|Geography of the ''Odyssey'' according to I. Wilkens]]</ref>

The island played a role in the defeat of the [[Spanish Armada]] in 1588. The Spanish fleet was not able to be supported by deep water ports along the continental side of the English Channel. The [[Duke of Parma]] had occupied [[Antwerp]], a deep water port. However, access to this port was blocked by [[Dutch Republic|Dutch rebels]] and English fighters who occupied Walcheren. As a result, the armada could not be resupplied nor could it seek shelter at Antwerp. Facing dwindling supplies, Admiral [[Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia|Medina-Sedonia]] fled northward, ending the threat to the English. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVdthv0GN_s | title=The Spanish Armada and Antwerp - Did Zeeland doom the Armada before it even sailed? | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>