Central Europe

Narrated by Richard C. Hottelet

Hear a sample from
The Golden Triangle

Central Europe's ancient civilizations have long been dominated by empires: The Roman Empire, the Habsburg Empire (based in Austria) and more recently, the Soviet Communist. But the decline of communism in the late twentieth century has unleashed old resentments, rivalries, and ambitions that have caused yet more war in this troubled region.

• 6^th -7^th Century-Slavs migrate and settle becoming Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, & Slovenes. Magyar tribe becomes Hungarians (9^th Century).
  
• 1000-Stephen crowned apostolic King of Hungary, a Catholic nation.
  
• 1102-Croats swear allegiance to Hungarian crown of St. Stephen, becoming Catholic. Slavs convert; Czechs rebel.
• 1222-"Golden Bull" (the Hungarian Magna Carta) compels the king to respect the Magyar nobles.
• 14^th Century-Serbs (under Stephen) create a Balkan Empire, conquering Bulgarians, Albania, and parts of Greece. Annihilated at Kosovo by the Turks (1389).
• 1515-Austria's Emperor Maximilian arranges two marriages to link the crowns of St. Stephen and St. Wenceslas to the House Of Habsburg (Hapsburg).
• 1526-Turks defeat Hungary's Christian army and rule most of Hungary.
• 1618-During the Reformation, envoys of the Catholic Emperor thrown from window of Prague's Radchany Castle. Thirty Years War commences.
• 1683-Siege of Vienna; the Turks are routed by combined European Forces.
• 1772-Partition of Poland adds masses of Poles, Ruthenians, and Jews to the Austrian Empire.
• 1805-Napoleon defeated Austria and Russia at Austerlitz; Holy Roman Empire is abolished. Habsburgs become "Emperors of Austria"
• 1815-Napoleon defeated at Waterloo; Austria begins acquiring Balkan lands.
• 1848-Revolution topples Austria's Prince Metternich and his system of censorship and surveillance. Republic of Hungary (1849) surrenders when Russians reinforce Austria.
• 1866-Prussians Defeat Austria; Hungarians soon control half the Empire. New Constitution (1867) declares equal rights between Austrians and Hungarians.
• 1870s-"Bulgarian Horrors"; revolts by Bulgarians, Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro; independence from Turkish rule, 1878.
• Early 20^th Century- Decline of Austria amid struggles of nationalities. Serbia emerges as a center of conspiracy, violence, intrigue. Europe's powers juggle alliances in bids for influence.
• 1914-1918- World War I begins with assassination in Serbia of Austria's Archduke Ferdinand. Austria-Hungary is defeated; Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia are created, other lands declare independence. Habsburg Empire ceases.
  
• 1939-1945- World War II. Jews of central Europe are destroyed. Germany is defeated; the Eastern Bloc is established, with Europe carved up between Russia and the U.S.
• 1945-1980-Josef Bloz (Tito) rules Yugoslavia as a dictator under Soviet hegemony.
• 1955-The Warsaw Pact-a 20 year treaty of collaboration between the USSR and Eastern Communist countries.
• 1956-Revolt in Hungary; USSR invades and quashes resistance.
• 1968-"Prague Spring" (reform in Czechoslovakia); Warsaw Pact forces invade and movement ceases.
• 1989-The Berlin wall falls; Eastern Europe is freed from Soviet domination.
• 1991-Yugoslavia disintegrates in independence movements among its republics.

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