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THE
HISTORY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
| The
history of Liechtenstein can be traced back to the Neolithic age. Since 800 B.C.
the area was colonized by the Rhaetians. 15 B.C. it was conquered by the Romans.
A
roman road transversed the country from north to south. Roman villas that have
been excavated in Schaanwald and Nendeln bear witness to this fact. Particularly
important was the carefully researched Schaan Castle that served to protect the
way across the alpine regions from any attack by the Germanic people.
Christianity
found its way to the province of Churrhaetia in the 4th. century, with Saint Luzius
being the first to be venerated. During the mass migration people of Germanic
origins made their way from the north and drove out the Romans. Years later, the
area which is the Principality of Liechtenstein today belonged to the German Dukedom
and was part of the country of Lower Rhaetia. Out of this emerged the two domains
of Vaduz and Schellenberg.
As a result of the domains were governed by
four distinguished families: the Counts of Werdenberg-Vaduz, the Barons of Brandis,
the Counts of Sulz and the Counts of Hohenems.
Prince Johann Adam of Liechtenstein
bought the domain of Schellenberg in 1699 and the county of Vaduz in 1712. By
acquiring these two counties he was striving for a seat and a vote in the government.
The actual date on which the Principality of Liechtenstein was founded was January
23, 1719. On this day, Kaiser Karl VI decreed that the counties of Vaduz and Schellenberg
be promoted to a principality with the name Liechtenstein for his true servant
Anton Florian of Liechtenstein.
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