Celtic people known as the Parisi founded Paris in the middle of the 13th century. The location, along the River Seine, was ideal in taking advantage of trade developing between Northern and Southern Europe. The town grew into a thriving city, bringing on unwanted attention from Romans and Vikings. Clovis the Frank, the first king to unite the Frankish tribes, made Paris the capital of his unified kingdom in 508.
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In 1095, Hungarian King Ladislaus I established a diocese in an area featuring two prominent hills; Gradec and Kaptol. The diocese was built on Kaptol and a small village took shape on Gradec. The two communities suffered invasions, fires, and the plague. They often resorted to violence in resolving their own petty differences, but agreed to merge in 1609, resulting in the formation of Zagreb.
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Wien was founded by Celtic people and can trace its history back to 500 BC. The Romans called the settlement Vindobona and built it into a fortified city to guard their northern border. The city and surrounding area became part of the Duchy of Austria, a state in the Holy Roman Empire. By 1440, Wien became the resident city of the Hapsburg Dynasty and served as the capital for the Holy Roman Empire.
