Timișoara was first mentioned as a place in
either 1212 or 1266. The territory later to be known as Banat was conquered and
annexed by the Kingdom of Hungary in 1030. Timișoara grew considerably during
the reign of Charles I, who, upon his visit here in 1307, ordered the
construction of a royal palace. Timișoara's importance also grew thanks to its
strategic location, which facilitated control over the Banat plain. John
Hunyadi established a permanent military encampment here, and moved here
together with his family. In 1552, Ahmed Pasha conquered the city with a 16,000
Ottomans and transformed
