History of Catalonia

     Area in which there is a modern Catalonia, humans settled thousands of years ago . In the caves located here archaeologists have found numerous traces of our ancestors. The remains of ancient man Neanderthal type found here indicate the time of its appearance - the era of the Middle Paleolithic . The first community of people who lived in what is now the Spanish Catalonia (and Spain in general) and received a personal name in its history - the Iberians, who are considered the indigenous population of the peninsula from the second millennium BC. The first contacts between the local population ( Iberian ) with other peoples - Phoenicians and Greeks belong to the VIII - VII century BC. In such a mutually beneficial exchange of Iberian culture developed about the III BC. Then began an active Romanization territory. First the Romans landed near Empuries (province of Gerona ) in 218 BC in order to cut the road logistics of supplying the troops of Hannibal , so yes here and stayed. By 195 BC Iberians resistance was completely crushed and finally established the Roman dominion, and Tarraco (modern Tarragona ), became the capital of the province Tarrakonesis . In the III BC crisis that erupted in the metropolis, has led to a strong decline of the cities in the province. Cities such as: Tarraco Barsine (Barcelona ), Zherunda ( Girona ), although later managed to regain its influence and reach of past grandeur were not able to. After the first sack of Rome by the Visigoths in the V,  romans for the "pacification" of the barbarians decided to give them a part of Spain and Gaul (modern France) . In 475 , the king of the Visigoths , Eric created the kingdom of Toulouse , which consisted of land and modern Catalonia. Internecine fighting for power in the kingdom led to the emergence of the Moors in Europe. Only the victory of Christians at the Battle of Toulouse ( 721 ) and Poitiers (733 ) , stopped the Muslim invasion. After that, the lands from the Pyrenees to the river Lobregatt province was formed " Brand Ispanika " as part of the Carolingian Empire . At the end of the IX. Carolingian king Charles the Bald gave a hereditary possession of Wilfred hairy virtually all Catalonia , namely the 4 main county - Barcelona , Girona, Cerdanya and Urgell . Wilfredo credited with settling oson , the foundation of monasteries in Ripoll and Sant Joan de las Abadessas and the establishment of the episcopal chair in Vic .

     Catalonia is the birth year of 988, when the head of the Barcelona County Borrell II not only managed to free the city from the Moors of troops, but also to declare it encroaches on neighboring France on the independent status of Barcelona. At the same time actively Catalan land populated by migrants from the South of France, Count of Barcelona and in many ways are trying to expand their holdings. In the XII century the marriage contracted between the Aragonese monarchy and the Count of Barcelona dynasty, has led to the emergence of a powerful European map of an independent state, which managed to survive as independent of the sovereign territory of the Kingdom of Spain until 1714. Catalan-Aragonese state maintained until now own political institutions and minted its own coins.

     In the XIX century in Catalonia rapid was the development of the industry and the formation of the local bourgeoisie . The result was the growth of national consciousness and the emergence of broad cultural movement called " Renashsensa " - a revival. Establishing II of Spain has created Generalitat ( regional parliament ) and seek autonomy of Catalonia ( 1932). Fascist coup in Catalonia (1936 ) suffered a complete defeat , and the region until the end of the civil war remained the main stronghold of the Republicans. Only a victory at the Battle of the Ebro allowed Franco fully occupy Catalonia (1938 and 1939 ). If Franco had banned the use of the Catalan language (even in private ), dissolved parliament, shooting more than 4000 the Catalans , including Louis Kapmani - the first president of Catalonia. In the 60 years of the twentieth century agricultural modernization , industrialization and mass tourism provide a powerful boost to the local economy. After the death of General Franco ( 1975 ) has been temporarily re-established the Generalitat ( 1977 ), and since 1979 - the autonomous region of Catalonia in Spain.
 

     In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games . In 2005, ICANN officially registered the domain . Cat, the first official domain for non-state language.