The History of Bratislava from 1st to 21th century

Index of contents:

1.  1 st 10 th century  

2.  First Hungarian age  

3.  The beginning of Habsburg epoch  

4.  The uprisings an Napoleonic time  

5.  First Czechoslovak Republic  

6.  Bratislava during the world wars  

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History of Bratislava from 1st century – 21st century

The Slovak Republic with his capital Bratislava is located in central Europe, surrounded by the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria.

Bratislava ranks among the youngest capitals of Europe and at the same time among the towns with rich history dating back top the times of more than two thousand years ago.

1 st century – 10 th century

From the first century until 4 ^th century river Danube was the border of the Roman Empire. (1)The defence system of roman limes should separate the world of romans from that of the Free Barbaricum ( German tribes – Marcomanni ). One of the roman quarters was Gerulata in the territory of the suburb of Rusovce, which was integral part of the defence system Limes Romanus.

During migration of nations, Slavs settled in the territory of present-day Bratislava.Under the leadership of Frankish merchant Samo, who became King of the Slaves in 623. His empire lasted after his death till 658.Samo´s Empire disintegrated into principalities.By subsequent joining the principalities, a state formation of Greater Moravia was founded. Fame of the empire reached its peak in the reign of the most significant sovereign Svatopluk.The beginning of its gradual cessation is associated to the first written reference to the castle of Bratislava in annals of Salzburg of 907, when a battle took place near the castle between Hungarians and Bavarian army. The Hungarians won it, subsequently occupying eastern part of Greater Moravia. The Bavarian historian Johannes Aventinus was writing in the 16 ^th century that in 805 the Bratislava castle was repaired during the reign of Prince Vratislav on the ruins of the old roman settlements and was named Wratisslaburgium. So Vratislav is only after Samo the second Slavic historical figure known from the Middle Danube region.

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First Hungarian age

In the end of 10 ^th century, the Hungarian state was established. The territory of Bratislava today was annexed into the reign of Stephan I (1001-1038). Bratislava became an important economic and administration centre of Hungarian borderland. Because of following advantages, represented by the castle and its vicinity, next years are bringing negatives in the form of frequent military attacks. In 1042 German king Heinrich I destroyed Bratislava. And there were further unrests between 1074-1077 in relation to a dispute regarding Hungarian throne. In the 13 ^th century , royal privileges were granted to Bratislava. Many german colonists come to the town, till the late 19 ^th century they are the largest ethnic group in the town. In 1271 and 1273 -76 the town was captured by the King of Bohemia, Ottokar II, fighting with Hungary because of Styria.(Steiermark) In this connection the First Peace of Pressburg is signed in 1271.

One of the most important periods in life of the town was in 14 ^th and 15 ^th century under the government of Sigismund from Luxemburg.(2) Bratislava became one of the prominent and political towns of Hungary, ranking among the most significant towns that had been called royal towns since then. The Hussites first appeared in 1428, when they burned down the suburbs of Bratislava. Negotiations held year later in Bratislava between Sigismund and the Hussites fail. Between 1432 and 1434 the Hussites tried to conquer the city but their attacks fail.

The first bridge over the Danube was built in 1434 , but floods are destroying the bridge only one year later.(3) In 1436 Sigismund from Luxemburg awards Bratislava to use its own coat of arms(4) and orders to improve the fortification of the castle. From 1439 – 1486 a new bridge over the Danube existed, but was also washed away by flood in 1486.

The beginning of Habsburg epoch

Between 1440 and 1443 there was a battle between the castle of Bratislava, supporting king Ladislaus III of Poland , and the town of Bratislava below the castle hill, supporting queen Elisabeth. Ladislaus conquered temporarily the

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