World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Madrid  - History
History

c. 300-200BC Romans arrive in the Iberian Peninsula; their culture is adopted over two centuries
AD409 Germanic tribes invade Roman Hispania, establishing a Visigothic kingdom from 419 to 711
AD711 Muslims defeat Roderick, the last Goth king
9th C Madrid, known as 'Magerit', is founded during the reign of Emir Mohammed I of Córdoba; the arts and sciences flourish, mosques and schools are built
1085-86 Alfonso VI of Castile conquers Toledo and Madrid, bringing the city under Christian rule (the Reconquista)
1469 Isabel, princess of Castila, marries Fernando, heir to Aragón, uniting Spain's two kingdoms
1478 The Spanish Inquisition: Jews and other non-Christians are executed in their thousands
1492 Conquest of Granada: Muslim king surrenders, ending the Reconquista. Colombus reaches the Americas and Spain develops its empire in the New World
1561 Philip II declares Madrid the capital of Spain. Siglo de Oro (Golden Century) begins
1562 Lope de Vega is born in Madrid
1619 Completion of Plaza Mayor
1665-1700 Reign of Charles II
1702-14 War of the Spanish Succession; Philip V becomes Spain's first Bourbon king
1734 Alcázar of Madrid destroyed by fire
1775-82 Creation of Paseo del Prado
1808-13 French occupation of Spain under Napoleon
1814-33 Fernando VII is granted the Spanish throne and re-establishes the Inquisition. The American colonies gain independence
1820 Military coup leads to three years of liberal rule
1823 Fernando VII is granted power once again, thanks to the French army
1868 Isabel II is ousted during the revolution
1871 Amadeo of Savoy takes the Spanish throne
1873 Amadeo abdicates and a Republic is formed before being overthrown in a military coup; finally Alfonso XII becomes king
1898 The Spanish-American war marks the disintegration of the Spanish Empire
1919 Creation of first metro line in Madrid
1923-30 Dictatorship established under General Primo de Rivera
1929 Construction starts on Barajas airport
14 Apr 1931 Second Republic is declared
1936-39 Civil War between the pro-democracy Republican government and the right-wing Nationalists
1 Apr 1939 Victorious Franco declares peace and imposes his dictatorship, which in later years would lead to Spain's exclusion from NATO and the UN
c. 1960 Madrid's population exceeds two million
20 Nov 1975 Death of Franco
15 Jun 1977 Spain's first democratic general election takes place against a backdrop of miraculous economic recovery: Spain has the fastest-growing economy in Europe
1978 Drafting of democratic constitution
1982 Socialist government is voted in
1 Jan 1986 Spain becomes a member of the European Community
1992 Madrid is the European City of Culture
1996 Conservative Partido Popular is the winning party in the general election



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
GENERAL
City Overview
City Statistics
Cost of Living
History
Language
Accommodation
 
GETTING THERE
Air
Road
Rail
 
GETTING AROUND
Getting Around
 
BUSINESS
Business
 
SIGHTSEEING
Sightseeing
Key Attractions
Further Distractions
Tours of the City
Excursions
 
ENTERTAINMENT
Nightlife
Sport
Shopping
Culture
Special Events
Food and Drink