The town was founded in 838 by Franconian warriors in order to guard a ford crossing the Ems river. It remained a tiny village until the 14th century. The rapid growth occurred due to the harbour of Rheine: The Ems is navigable north of Rheine, but too shallow to the south. Goods were embarked in Rheine and conveyed by ships to the Emsland and the coasts of the North Sea.