Talk:Slovakia

From Wikitravel

For future reference the Wikitravel:CIA World Factbook 2002 import can be found at Talk:Slovakia/CIA World Factbook 2002 import.

Removed this timeline from main article... someone who knows the country should either throw it away totally or write the relevant bits up for the "Understand" section. --Nils 19:42, 25 Mar 2004 (EST)

[edit]

History

[623 - 658] Slavonic tribes revolt against Avar rule and create the first Slavonic state. Frankish merchant Samo leads this new tribal confederation, but its unity was short-lived. After his death, the state disintegrated.

[First third of the 9th century] Moravian prince Mojmir conquered Slovak prince Pribina and established the Great Moravian empire. The castle site in Bratislava and nearby Devin became important fortifications.

[907] The Salzburg Chronicles mention Bratislava for the first time, in connection with the battle between the Hungarians and the Bavarians below the castle.

[Early Middle Ages] The so-called Amber Road between northern and southern Europe makes Bratislava an important trade center, due to its strategic location on the Danube halfway between the Baltic and Black Seas. Trading, wine production and crafts become Bratislava's most important sources of income.

[12th century] On the eastern slope of Castle Hill a medieval Romanesque city rose from a small village below the castle.

[1291] Hungarian king Andrew III granted the city extensive political, economic and administrative privileges. Bratislava became an autonomous unit under Hungarian rule, and new city fortification walls surrounded by a moat were built.

[14th - 15th century] The flourishing city builds a second zone of fortification walls around the suburbs, now with five gates instead of three. Craftsmens' guilds and winemaking expanded exponentially.

[1405] Hungarian king Zigmund Luxemburg made Bratislava a free royal town. The Bratislava mint was established in 1430, and the king gave the town the right to use its own coat-of-arms in 1436.

[1464] Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus proclaimed The Golden Bull, adding new privileges to those already enjoyed by the city.

[20 July 1467] Matthias Corvinus founded the Academia Istropolitana, the first university on the territory of today's Slovakia.

[1536] After the Battle of Mohac (29 August 1526), Habsburg Ferdinand I became the Hungarian king. As Buda had been occupied by the Turks, Ferdinand proclaimed Bratislava the capital, parliamentary center and coronation town of Hungary.

[1543] Bratislava became the seat of the Esztergom bishop.

[1606] Establishment of the Evangelic school, which played an important role in the years of the Slovak National Revival.

[1698] Russian czar Peter the Great paid a visit to Bratislava.

[1735] The first extensive history of Bratislava was written by Slovak historian Matej Bel in the first volume in his monumental work Historical and Geographical Knowledge About The New Hungary.

[1775] Empress Maria Teresa ordered the destruction of the city fortification walls.

[1776] A professional theatre was established.

[1783] Austrian mperor / Hungarian king Josef II transferred all government back to Buda and the coronation jewels back to Vienna. Bratislava, with 33,000 inhabitants, was the largest city in Hungary, but as the government officials left, so did the entrepreneurs, craftsmen and merchants. After few years, the number of inhabitants dropped by one-third.

[1787] Linguist Anton Bernolak codified the first written form of Slovak.

[1809] Napoleon invades Bratislava. Devin was burnt down, and two years later so was Bratislava Castle.

[11 April 1848] At the last session of the Hungarian Assembly held in Bratislava, in the Primate's Palace, Hungarian king Ferdinand V signed a law abolishing serfdom in Hungary.

[1843] Ludovit Stur, linguist and noted patriot, codified standard Slovak.

[1891] First manmade bridge across the Danube opened.

[1 January 1919] Bratislava became a part of the Czechoslovak Republic and the seat of the central Slovak authorities.

[14 March 1939] Autonoumous Slovak State is established and Josef Tiso becomes its president. Slovak State is officialy autonomous, however it's just puppet state in the hands of Hitler.

[1945] End of WWII, and liberation of Bratislava by the Soviet army.

[1947] Democratic party beats the Communists in the general after-war elections in Slovakia. Communist Party wins in Czech Republic, part of Czechoslovakia.

[February 1949] Slovak Communists supported by Czech Communist Party on the rise overthrow democratically elected Slovak government. Czechoslovak Communist Party comes into power.

[1950's] Communist dictature creates fictious cases against anti-communists and sentences them to death. So called "monster" processes or "theatre" processes are held against political prisoners.

[1968] The Constitutional Law of Czechoslovak Federation was signed at the Castle of Bratislava on 30 October. Bratislava became the capital of the Slovak Socialistic Republic. Soon after, during the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact armies, there are Soviet tanks in the streets of Bratislava.

[1989] So-called "Velvet Revolution" on SNP Square in Bratislava.

[1 January 1993] Bratislava became the capital of the independent Slovak Republic.

[May 2004] Slovakia joins the European Union.

[edit]