Roman occupation of the Frankfurt area can be traced as far back as the first
century A.D. The foundation of Frankfurt is generally considered to date from
the 8th Century, when it was established by the Caroliginians. At the end of
the 8th century, Einhard, Charlemagne's biographer, used the name "Frankonovurd",
from which the modern name of Frankfurt is probably derived. During his reign
(800-814), Charlemagne constructed a palace in the city and presided over a
church synod. Frankfurt was an important city in the Holy Roman Empire and was
the site of elections for German emperors from 855.
It was, in effect, the capital of the German Empire during the two dynasties
that succeeded the Carolingians and it was during this period that the trade
fairs for which Frankfurt became famous began. In 1372, Frankfurt became an
'imperial city', directly ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Between 1562 and
1792, German emperors were elected and crowned in Frankfurt.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Frankfurt was occupied and attacked by French forces,
although it remained a free city until the Holy Roman Empire collapsed in 1805
and it was absorbed into the confederation of the Rhine, becoming the capital
of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt in 1806. This change was short-lived and the
Congress of Vienna in 1815 saw Frankfurt become part of the German Confederation
as a free city. In 1866, during the Austrian-Prussian War, the city was annexed
by the Kingdom of Prussia and joined to the districts of Cassel and Wiesbaden.
In 1870, the treaty that ended the war between France and Germany was signed
in Frankfurt.
During the Second World War, the city did not fare well; it was almost entirely
destroyed by Allied bombing raids and 5500 of it's citizens lost their lives.
A few buildings of historical interest were reconstructed, but much of the town
was rebuilt in a modern style.
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