BELGRADE

From Agepedia

BELGRADE (the ancient Alba Grcecorum; hi German, Griechisch Weissenburg, which name, however, is seldom used); a Turkish commercial city and fortress in Servia, at the confluence of the Save and the Danube, with 30,000 inhabitants, consisting of four parts, the citadel in the centre, which commands the Danube, is well fortified, is the residence of the pacha of Servia, and contains the chief mosque. The whole number of mosques in B. is 14. Between the citadel and the other 3 parts of the city there is an empty space, 400 yards wide. B. is badly built; the streets are not paved. At the mouth of the Save lies the island of the Gipsies. B., on account of its important situation, plays a conspicuous part in almost every war between Austria and Turkey. After having been, at different times, in the possession of the Greeks, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Bosnians, Servians and Austrians, it was, in 1442 and 1456, besieged by the Turks, and, in 1521, conquered by Solyman II. In 1688, the Austrians reconquered it, but lost it again in 1690. Prince Eugene took it in 1717, and the peace of Passarowitz, in 1718, left it in the hands of Austria, but it was again lost in 1739. The Porte retained it by the terms of the peace of Belgrade, in 1739, on condition that the fortifications which Austria had erected should be demolisheda work which required almost nine months. General Laudon took B. in 1789, but it was restored to the Porte at the peace of Szistowe, in 1791. In 1806, it was taken by the revolutionary Servians, but, with their suppression, it came again into the hands of the Turks. Formerly, a bishop resided here, but his seat is now in Semendria.