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Chronology Milan
Although Milan is the size of roughly one eighth of Rome, its history is no less eventful than that of the Eternal City. A site of many idealogical and political changes, Milan has a past that upon studying it more closely gives insight into how our civilisation was shaped.
| Early history |
| 400 BC |
Celtic tribe Insubres inhabits Milan and its surroundings. |
| 222 BC |
The settlement, known as Mediolanum (a name meaning a place in the middle, given to the city by the Gauls), is conquered by the Romans. |
| 293 |
Diocletian declares Milan the capital of the Western Roman Empire. |
| 313 |
Emperor Constantine I issues the Edict of Tolerance towards Christianity. |
| 402 |
The city is besieged by the Visigoths and the imperial residence is moved to Ravenna. |
| 452 |
The Huns come to the city.
|
| 539 |
In the so-called Gothic War the Ostrogoths destroy Milan. |
| 774 |
Milan becomes part of the Frankish Empire. |
| 1162 |
Large part of Milan is destroyed in the war of the Lombard cities against Frederick I Barbarossa. |
| 1167 |
Milan takes the leading role in the Lombard League. |
| 1183 |
The Lombard cities gain independence in the Peace of Constance and Milan becomes a duchy. |
| 1277-1447 |
The power of government is seized by the Visconti family and they become lords of Milan in these times. |
| 1395 |
Gian Galeazzo Visconti becomes duke of Milan.
|
| 1447-1450 |
For three years of republican rule in Milan.
|
| 1450 |
Milan passes to the noble House of Sforza and becomes one of the leading cities of Italian Renaissance. |
| 1492 |
Louis XII claims the duchy for the first time. It is then defended by the Swiss mercenaries. |
| 1498 |
Leonardo da Vinci paints 'The Last Supper'. |
| 1525 |
Northern Italy, including Milan, passes to the House of Habsburg. |
| 1535-1706 |
The city is ruled by the Spanish monarchs. |
| 1556 |
Charles V abdicates and his Italian possessions are handed to Philip II and the Spanish Habsburgs. |
| 1630 |
The city is decimated by a plague. |
| Modern History |
| 1713 |
Milan receives the Austrian possessions with the Treaty of Utrecht. |
| 1770 |
The culmination of expansion and fiscal and ecclesiastical reforms results in a rich cultural activity of MIlan. |
| 1796 |
Napoleon conquers Lombardy and Milan is declared the capital of the Cisalpine Republic. |
| 1815 |
Milan and Lombardy are returned to Austria by the Congress of Vienna, after the Napoleon's occupation. |
| March 18, 1848 |
Milan's citizens’ rebel against Austrian rule and Field Marshall Radetzky is forced to withdraw from the city. |
| July 24, 1848 |
Austrian control over Milan and northern Italy is regained Radetzky comes back to the city. |
| 1859 |
France and Italy defeat Austria in the Battle of Solferino. |
| 1861 |
The Kingdom of Sardinia, having incorporated Milan and the rest of Lombardy, is renamed the Kingdom of Italy. |
| 1898 |
The increasing population of Milan leads to social tensions which erupt but are repressed by cannon fire. |
| 1919 |
Benito Mussolini organizes the Blackshirts- the core of the Fascist movement in Milan. |
| 1922 |
Mussolini starts his March on Rome. |
| 1943 |
The Nazis occupy Italy, which is on brink of a partisan war. |
| 1944 |
Milan suffers severe damage from British and American bombings during World War II. |
| 1950s and 1960s |
Thousands of Italians move to Milan seeking work because of the rapidly developing economy of the city. |
| 1971 |
Milan's population amounts to 1,723,000.
|
| 20th Century |
Milan is known as the Moral Capital of Italy. Also, the Stock Exchange, fashion boutiques, high-tech services, many industries and most of the Italian press concentrates in the city. |
| 2001 |
The population of Milan has decreases to 1,256,000. Many move to the suburbs because of the high costs of the houses in the city. |
| Â 21st Century |
| 2004 |
The population of Milan increases to 1,300,000. |
| 2006 |
The population of Milan is already as large as 4,280,000. |