| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
Bremen [ˈbreːmən] is a city in northern Germany (official name: Freie und Hansestadt Bremen, referring to its membership in the medieval Hanseatic League) situated along the river Weser. Bremen is one of two towns belonging to the state of Bremen, the other being Bremerhaven. Population: 547,000.
In the 8th century the troops of Charlemagne advanced to the Weser in order to christianise the tribes settling here. Bremen, which may have been an older settlement, became a bishopric; a deed claiming the town's foundation in 788 has now been recognised as a forgery, so the exact date is unknown. In the following centuries the bishops of Bremen were the driving force behind the Christianisation of Scandinavia.
In the 12th century the power of the archbishops was challenged by Henry the Lion. The duke was successful and became the factual ruler of the town. These events led to a civil government and a loss of clerical power. Bremen became a merchants' town, and its ships dominated the southern portions of the North Sea. This dominance ended, when the Hanseatic League, originally a trade alliance of the Baltic Sea only, expanded to the North Sea. In the early 14th century13th century 14th century 15th century more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. Events The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age Beginning of th ships from Bremen acted as pirateThis article is about sea pirates. For other uses see Pirate (disambiguation A pirate is one who robs or plunders at sea without a commission from a recognised sovereign nation. Pirates usually target other ships, but have also attacked targets on shore.s to board hanseatic cogs. In order to avoid open war aldermen from Bremen went to the Hanseatic Council in LübeckLubeck (population ( 2001): 215,330) is the second largets city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany. It was a member of the Hanseatic League and is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Lubeck is situated at the Trave river. The old part of the and agreed to becoming members of the league ( 1358Events Births August 24 King John I of Castile September 25 Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Ashikaga shogun Deaths 25 January Isabella of France (wife of King Edward II of England) June 7 Ashikaga Takauji, Ashikaga shogun August 16 Duke Albert II of Austria 1358.).
Bremen remained a reluctant member of the Hanseatic League. The town demanded support for its wars against the chieftains of FrisiaFrisia (or more commonly " Friesland") is a region along the southeastern coasts of the North Sea. Frisia extends from the northeastern Netherlands across northern Germany to southwestern Denmark. Western Frisia is roughly identical with the Dutch provinc, who ruled the region around the Weser mouth, but they seldom joined campaigns in the Baltic Sea. In 1425Events Foundation of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Births Deaths March 17 Ashikaga Yoshikazu, Ashikaga shogun July 21 Manuel II Palaeologus, Byzantine Emperor 1425. the conflict escalated, when the citizens burnt hanseatic documents on the market place. Bremen was expelled from the league in 1427Events Lincoln College in Oxford is founded. Balsics rule of Montenegro comes to an end. Bhaktapur Royal Palace in Nepal is built by King Yaksa Malla. Gabriel V elected Patriarch of the Coptic Church for the second time. Minrekyansa becomes King of Ava an. The consequences followed soon: the sudden loss of power led to territorial claims of neighbouring states (e.g. OldenburgThis page is about Oldenburg in the German state of Lower Saxony. There is also a town Oldenburg in Holstein (at the Baltic Sea), the district of Oldenburg, the historical state and former Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, the ducal and royal House of Oldenburg a) and significant territorial losses.
On March 6, 1901 an assassin attempted to kill Wilhelm II of Germany here.
After World War II, Bremen became a part of the American occupation zone since the USA wanted to have one port town within their zone. This prevented the inclusion of Bremen into the new Land of Lower Saxony that was formed around it within the British zone, and secured Bremian independence as a Land of its own right in the new West German federation.