The history of Belgrade dates back to at least 5700 BC. One of the largest prehistoric cultures of Europe, the Vinča culture, evolved from the Belgrade area in the 6th millennium BC. In antiquity, Thraco-Dacians inhabited the region, and after 279 BC Celts conquered the city, naming it Singidūn.[1] It was conquered by the Romans during the reign of Augustus, and awarded city rights in the mid 2nd century.[2] It was settled by the Slavs in the 520s, and changed hands several times before it became the capital of King Stefan Dragutin (1282–1316). In 1521 Belgrade was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and became the seat of a sanjak.[3] It frequently passed from Ottoman to Habsburg rule, which saw the destruction of most of the city during the Austro-Ottoman wars. Belgrade was again named the capital of Serbia in 1841. The north of Belgrade remained an Habsburg outpost until 1918, when it was merged into the capital city. As a strategic location, the city was battled over in 115 wars and razed to the ground 44 times.[4] Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia (in various forms of governments) from its creation in 1918, to its final dissolution in 2006.
- ^ "Discover Belgrade". City of Belgrade. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
books.google.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The History of Belgrade". BelgradeNet Travel Guide. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
- ^ Nurden, Robert (22 March 2009). "Belgrade has risen from the ashes to become the Balkans' party city". The Independent. London. Retrieved 5 May 2009.