Category: Histories of countries and key towns and cities around the world

By Tim Lambert Early Amsterdam The city of Amsterdam began as a village on the River Amstel. However, in the Middle Ages, it grew rapidly as a center of trade. In 1275 Floris V, Count of Holland gave the people of ‘Amstelledamme’ to transport their goods by water through his territory. In 1306 the bishop… Continue reading A History of Amsterdam

By Tim Lambert Colonial Baltimore The Maryland Assembly created a region called Baltimore County in 1659. The first settler was David Jones. In the following decades, other people settled in the region. In 1706 the Port of Baltimore was established near the site of Fort McHenry where goods could be loaded and unloaded. However, the… Continue reading A History of Baltimore

By Tim Lambert BELFAST IN THE 17TH CENTURY The city of Belfast began in the early 17th century. The name Belfast is a corruption of the Gaelic words Beal Feirste meaning mouth of the sandy ford. The town of Belfast grew after 1609 when King James began his policy of settling Englishmen and Scots in… Continue reading A History of Belfast

By Tim Lambert Early Berlin The great city of Berlin began in the 13th century. Originally there were 2 settlements on either side of the Spree River, Colln and Berlin. Colln was first mentioned in 1237 while Berlin was first mentioned in 1244. The two towns grew rapidly and in 1307 they made an alliance.… Continue reading A History of Berlin

By Tim Lambert 19th Century Brisbane In 1823 the government of New South Wales was hoping to found a new prison colony to remove the worst of the convicts from the Sydney area. They sent the Surveyor-General John Oxley (c. 1785-1828) with a ship to explore the coast. When he sailed into Moreton Bay Oxley… Continue reading A History of Brisbane

By Tim Lambert Early Budapest In the 1st century AD, the Romans conquered parts of what is now Hungary. About 100 AD they created a town called Aquincum on the site of Budapest. However, in 409 the Huns captured the town. The region was then ruled by different peoples until the Magyars conquered the area… Continue reading A History of Budapest

By Tim Lambert The Foundation of Calgary For 10,000 years native people lived on the site of Calgary. Then in 1875, the Mounties built a fort there. In 1876 it was named Fort Calgary after Calgary Bay in Scotland. The Scottish name is derived from the Gaelic words Cala-ghearridh meaning pasture by the bay. When… Continue reading A History of Calgary

By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Hollee and Hayden Davill Early Canberra For thousands of years, the indigenous Ngunnawal people lived in the Canberra region, and the name ‘Canberra’ is believed to be derived from an indigenous word meaning ‘meeting place’. The first European explorers arrived in the Canberra area in 1820 and the first settlers… Continue reading A History of Canberra

By Tim Lambert According to tradition Cork was founded by St Finbarr in the 7th century. He built an abbey there. Its name comes from the Gaelic Corcaigh, which means marshy place. For centuries the abbey at Cork flourished and it was famous for learning. However, in 820, the Vikings raided the abbey and the… Continue reading A History of Cork, Ireland

By Tim Lambert 19th Century Darwin In 1839 a ship called The Beagle sailed to Darwin Harbour. The captain named the harbour after who had sailed with him on an earlier voyage. The city of Darwin in Australia was founded in 1869. However, at first, the settlement was named Palmerston after the British prime minister.… Continue reading A History of Darwin Australia