BC: The Founding of a City Barcino,
as the city was first known, was founded in the 3rd century BC by
Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca. It was taken by the Romans in 218 BC, but
played second fiddle in the region to the provincial capital of
Tarragona. 4th–11th Centuries: Early Invasions As
the Roman Empire began to fall apart in the 5th century, the Visigoths
took over the city, followed by the Moors in the 8th century. Around AD
800, Charlemagne conquered the area with the help of the Pyrenean
counts. 12th–16th Centuries: The Middle Ages During
this period, Barcelona was the capital of a Catalan empire that
included much of modern Spain and parts of the Mediterranean. The city’s
fortune was built on commerce, but as neighbouring Castile expanded
into the New World, trading patterns shifted and the Catalan dynasty
faltered. Barcelona fell into decline and came under Castilian
domination. 1638–1652: Catalan Revolt In reaction to the oppressive policies set out in Madrid, now ruled by the Austrian Habsburgs, various local factions, known as Els Segadors, revolted. Fighting began in 1640 and dragged on until 1652, when the Catalans and their French allies were defeated. 19th Century: Industry & Prosperity Booming
industry and trade with the Americas brought activity to the city.
Immigrants poured in from the countryside, laying the foundations of
prosperity but also the seeds of unrest. The old city walls came down,
broad Eixample avenues were laid out and workers crowded the old city
neighbourhoods left behind by the middle classes. 1888–1929: The Renaixença This new wealth, showcased in the International Exhibitions of 1888 and 1929, sparked a Catalan renaissance. Modernista
mansions sprouted up, and the nationalist bourgeoisie sparked a revival
of Catalan culture, particularly of literature, theatre and art. 1909–1931: The Revolutionary Years But
discontent brewed among workers, Catalan nationalists, communists,
Spanish fascists, royalists, anarchists and republicans. In 1909,
protests against the Moroccan war sparked a brutal riot, the Setmana Tràgica (Tragic Week). Lurching towards Civil War, Catalonia passed under a dictatorship before being declared a Republic in 1931. 1936–1975 Civil War & Franco At
the outbreak of war in 1936, Barcelona’s workers and militants managed
to fend off Franco’s troops for a while. The city was taken by Fascist
forces in 1939, prompting a wave of repression, particularly of the
Catalan language which was banned in schools. 1975–1980s Transition to Democracy Franco’s
death in 1975 paved the way for democracy. The Catalan language was
rehabilitated and, following the introduction of a new democratic
constitution in Spain, Catalonia was granted regional autonomy. The
first Catalan government was elected in 1980. 1992–Present Day The Olympics & Beyond Barcelona
was catapulted onto the world stage in 1992 with the highly successful
Olympics. Today, the city remains socialist in politics and ready to
perceive itself as both Spanish and Catalan.
Olympic Games, 1992
Top 10 Historical Figures
Guifré the Hairy The first Count of Barcelona (d. 897) is regarded as the founding father of Catalonia. Ramon Berenguer IV He united Catalonia and joined it with Aragon by marrying Princess Petronila in 1137. Jaume I the Conqueror This 13th-century warrior-king (d. 1276) conquered the Balearics and Valencia, laying the foundations for the empire. Ramon Llull Mallorcan philosopher and missionary, Llull (d. 1316) is the greatest figure in medieval Catalan literature. Ferdinand the Catholic King
of Aragon and Catalonia (d.1516), he married Isabel of Castile, paving
the way for the Kingdom of Spain’s formation and the end of Catalan
independence. Idlefons Cerdà 19th-century urban planner who designed the Eixample. Antoni Gaudí An idiosyncratic and devout Modernista architect, Gaudí was responsible for Barcelona’s most famous monuments. Francesc Macià This socialist nationalist politician proclaimed the birth of the Catalan Republic (1931) and Catalan autonomy (1932). Lluís Companys Catalan
president during the Civil War. Exiled in France, he was arrested by
the Gestapo in 1940 and returned to Franco, who had him executed. Jordi Pujol A centre-right regionalist politician, Pujol’s Convergència i Unió coalition ruled Catalonia from 1980 to 2003.
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