Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-02-19

INV ASoAhohop anu POI oQo thC
~ most bombarded city OF the
present war, has probably seen
more battles fought under it's
walls. and experienced the surge,
shock and eddies of war more often
than any other city in Europe. Its
whole story is one of conflicts of races,
religions and governments, says bull.
letin of the National Geographic So
ciety.
Belgrade has more than two thousand
years of history, and has had some
seventy generations of seldom-idle
warriors. An important key to the
Balkan lands on the north; q point
dominating the traffic between the up
per and lower Danube; at one time an
outpost of Roman power: at another
time considered the key to Hungary;
for five luckless centuries situated on
the borderland between Moslems and
Christians. and now a Slavonian out
post. Belgrade never since it's founda;
ton has been able to feel any certain
ty about the morrow's peace.
The Servian capital was founded in
the third century before Christ upon
a triangular. rocky promontory at the
confluence Of the Save and Danube
rivers. 1t lies opposite the Slovenian
town Of Semlin, in Hungary. Upon
one side the Danube. here about two
thousand three hundred feet wide, d.
vides 1t from Hungary. while the Save,
1850 feet wide, bounds another foot
OF the triangle. The ground of the
city is an unsymmetrical razorback.
sloping abruptly to the west and more
gently to the east. At the apex of
this triangle is a chalky cliff 200 feet
high. which overlooks and guards both
rivers.
ceIts Built First FortlfIcatIons..
The Celts built the first fertilization
on this strategic rock. They called It
Singidunum. The Romans were the
next possessors. and they added to the
city's strength. The Roman empire
fell to pieces. and Belgrade became a
battlefield for many races converging
from every quarter Of the compass.
Huns. Samatians, Goths- and 0epids
were. in turn, its masters, from the
fourth to the sixth century. The EN-.
peror Justinian brought 1t again under
Roman rule. fortified and improved 1t.
1t was captured by Charfemagne's
Frankish adventures. overrun by Bull.
wrested from the Greeks by the Hun.
garians, and then battledored, with
rapid-changing fortunes Of war, among
Greeks. Bulgars. Hungarians. and Ger
mans.
In the fourteenth century the city
was in the hands of Servian kings
first, and later was held by the Hun
garians. Then came the Turks. They
waged a number Of unsuccessful cam.
paigns against the city, but finally it
fell into their hands in 1871; a prize
for the Sultan Suleiman. It remained
in the power of these mas
tiers until 1867, bearing the brunt of
every attack upon the Ottoman from
the north and west. Internal :dissen.
sions kept things lively. even when
Turkey was at peace with her neigh
bors. The Turks called the city the
home Of wars for faith" =. =:
Between the sixteenth and the nine.
teenth centuries the Servian capital
was conquered a number of times, and
besieged often. It. however. always
found its way back to Turkey. and al.
though Servia practically became inde-
pendent in the early part Of the nine
teenth century, the Turkish garrison
at Belgrade was not withdrawn until
1867. >.