Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik's development was based on maritime trade and its favourable geographical position, at the entrance to the Adriatic - the sea route from east to west. and the Neretva valley 40sm to the north (near the town of Ploce)  Dubrovnik also had the trade routes on land under control.

On the territory of the old town there was already a settlement in the 6th century. Increasing traffic in the 7th century during the Crusades and after, the place became a maritime trade center in the Mediterranean in the 12th century. 

The liberation from Venetian influence, by the peace treaty of Zadar in 1358, Dubrovnik became the most important maritime trade center of the Adriatic in the 14th and 15th centuries, along with Venice and Ancona. The Dubrovnik Republic had elected deputies and a rector as its president, its own currency, state flag, laws and consulates. The Great Council of the Dubrovnik nobility was the state power.  Due to the strong conquests of the Turks  the Dubrovnik Republic recognized the Turks and paid them tribute. In return, they  received free trade rights throughout the territory of the Turkish Empire, paying only 2% customs duty.

Through neutrality in conflicts and the patronage of the 5 powerful states, especially Spain and the Vatican contributed to their influence and fullness. The only competitor and enemy remained the Venetian Republic. The golden age of the Dubrovnik Republic was the 16th century, when the splendour and power of the Venetian Republic faded away. The Dubrovnik merchant navy had 200 merchant ships in the 16th century and built all the big ships of the galleon, caraka and nava type. The voyages became longer and longer, in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Atlantic to England and Germany even to India and America.

After the catastrophic earthquake in 1667, the Dubrovnik Republic had to fight for  independence. The 18th century brought Dubrovnik the chance of economic reconstruction in maritime trade under a neutral flag and the Dubrovnik Republic was abandoned by Napoleon's decree in 1808 and annexed to Dalmatia and Croatia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815.

After the declaration of independence of the Republic of Croatia, Dubrovnik was attacked by the Serbian-Montenegrin army in 1991. The Dubrovnik region was occupied and heavily damaged, and the city was besieged and bombed for eight months. Today, the cultural monuments destroyed during the war have been largely restored. The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and is a living museum.