History of Bratislava

The Kingdom of Hungary was defeated by the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Mohács in 1526. Thereafter the Turks besieged and damaged Pressburg but failed to conquer it. Owing to Ottoman advances into Hungarian territory, the city was designated the new capital of Hungary in 1536, becoming part of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy and marking the beginning of a new era. The city became a coronation town and the seat of kings, archbishops (1543), the nobility and all major organizations and offices. Between 1536 and 1830, eleven Hungarian kings and queens were crowned at St. Martin's Cathedral. Nevertheless, the 17th century was marked by anti-Habsburg uprisings, fighting with the Turks, floods, plagues and other disasters.

Pressburg flourished during the 18th century reign of Queen Maria Theresa, becoming the largest and most important town in Hungary. The population tripled; many new palaces, monasteries, mansions, and streets were built, and the city was the centre of social and cultural life of the region. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gave a concert in 1762 in the Pálffy Palace in Bratislava. Joseph Haydn performed in 1784 in the Grassalkovich Palace in Bratislava. Ludwig van Beethoven was a guest in 1796 in the Keglević Palace in Bratislava. However, the city started to lose its importance under the