Belgrade - From Turkish Province To City Of The Future Of Southeast Europe – Part I
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Posted On :
Jul-13-2010
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Article Word Count :
551
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Belgrade is nominated for City of Future in Southeast Europe in 2006. Find out more about its developing through the centuries.
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The Turks recognized that Belgrade was the biggest obstruction to their conquerings in central Europe. After the capitulation of Smederevo in 1440, Sultan Murad II directed an army of over hundred thousand Turkish soldiers to besiege Belgrade's fortress. Decided to conquer the town, the Turks established their own stronghold on the close to Žrnov hill, current Avala, from which they were capable to keep an eye on and hold the surrounding region. Belgrade was able to push back the Turkish assaults for a whole century, until 28 August, 1521. Headed by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, the Turks lastly managed to seize Belgrade - a central stronghold of Hungary and the Christian world. The town was demolished to the basis and burned down, therefore clearing up the way to Western Europe.
With the borderline now farther in the north, Belgrade's strategical significance shifted, and the town enjoyed one hundred fifty years of relative peace, arising into a leading craft and carry hub. The seat of the sancak was resettled from Smederevo to Belgrade and the town started out to develop. Craftsmanships and trades boomed in this oriental-looking, recently rebuilt town, a meeting location for traders from Dubrovnik, Venice, Greece and Austria, likewise Turkish, Armenian, Gypsy and Serbian craftsmen. Of the shopkeepers, tailors, cooks and armorers were some of the most valued in the town. Close to the central town area, many caravansaries covered up markets ('bezistans') and mosques were constructed. The town diffused from beyond its medieval walls and started to disperse along the known trade routes, which linked the Orient with Europe. Under the Turks, the town achieved a high point in the seventeenth century, with a population counting about hundred thousand.
At the end of the seventeenth century, Belgrade was hit by plague, which besides the fires and rebellions by the Janissaries brought in the town's development to a dead end. After 167 years of relatively calm growth, the town got involved in the midst of military conflict. Coming after their September 1688 triumph over the Turks in Vienna, the Austrians advanced to seize Belgrade. Two years later, the Turks recaptured Belgrade, but the town was departed in ruins after the battles and because of their cooperation with the Austrians, the townspeople were subjected to killings, persecution and pillaging. Belgrade yet once again became a borderline town till 1717, when the Austrians, headed by Prince Eugene of Savoy, retook the town. On the place of the destroyed Belgrade fortress, the Austrians constructed a new fort in reception to the strategical military demands of that time.
Belgrade changed dramatically during Austrian reign from 1717 to 1739, with the town acquiring a more Central European look, dropping off numerous of its Turkish and Oriental characteristics. Along with the fortress, the town was besieged by walls and modern buildings were built. Trade boomed in the town and great number of Hungarians, Germans, French and Czechs colonised Belgrade. The Turks retook Belgrade in 1739, demolishing the walls around the town in the operation. They destroyed the Austrian barracks, buildings and houses and turned a lot of the town's churches into mosques, transforming Belgrade back into an oriental town. Belgrade became a borderline town once again, as under the Peace of Belgrade the River Sava was outlined as the boundary line.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Belgrade - From Turkish Province To City Of The Future Of Southeast Europe – Part I_25354.aspx
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Author Resource :
Apartmani Beograd
Apartments Belgrade
Belgrade Serbia
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Keywords :
Belgrade, Serbia,
Category :
Politics
:
History
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