During the reign of William II and Floris V, the forest was considerably reduced to make space and provide wood for the growing nearby fortress, the Binnenhof, and the surrounding village of The Hague.

However, even in the Middle Ages there were strict rules in place to protect the Haagse Bos from becoming completely cut down, since the forest was a popular hunting area of the Dutch counts.

[citation needed] During the beginning of the Eighty Years' War, the Haagse Bos was once again quickly shrunk to make way for more residents of The Hague.

[3] During the French Occupation in the early 19th century, the forest was about to be cut down, but due to saboteurs and work delays the plan was never implemented.

Despite its protected status, two major motorways cut through the forest: the A12 and the Laan van Nieuw Oost Indië.