Sluis (Zeeuws-Vlaanderen)

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The town of Sluis is believed to have been founded around 1280 by the Flemish Count Jan I of Namur. Initially, it was called Lamminsvliet, but in 1324 it received its current name. The city owes its existence to the silting up of the Zwin estuary, which blocked direct access from the important trade town of Bruges to the sea and made Sluis the primary port for Bruges. By 1290, the village had already been granted city rights, and due to its strategic location, it became a fortified city in 1382. In 1340, the Battle of Sluis took place at the mouth of the Zwin estuary, marking the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. The construction of Sluis Castle began in 1385, but during the French invasion in 1794, it suffered significant damage and was finally demolished in 1820. Since 1387, Sluis has been the main Burgundian naval base.