Madrid was known as Madjerît in the 10th century by the Moors and was later conquered by King of Leon, Ramiro I, however this was only for a brief time, as the Moors took the city back, the city was controlled by the Moors until 1083, when King Alfonso VI took undisputed possession of the city.
In 1561, King Felipe II proclaimed the city as the capital city of Spain, giving a permanent and strong centre to control the continuous political movements through the Kingdom.
After the death of Francom Spain made the transition to a constitutional monarchy and King Juan Carlos I, made his home in Madrid and now the Spanish capital of Madrid is the Major centre for culture, Industry and Governance.
Chronicle Events & Historical Timeline |
| 852 |
| Moors establish village of Mayrít |
| 932 |
| Ramiro II, Christian King temporarily occupies Mayrít |
| 1109 |
| Moors Sieged Mayrít but Failed |
| 1185 |
| Castille Forces Captured Mayrít |
| 1202 |
| Madrid was granted Town Status. |
| 1212 |
| Soldiers from Madrid assist in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa |
| 1217 |
| Saint Francisco of Assis founds Monastery of San Francisco |
| 1218 |
| Saint Domingo de Guzmán founds Monastery of Santo Domingo el Real |
| 1248 |
| Fernando III confirms division between Segovia and Madrid |
| 1433 |
| Royal Cortes held in Madrid |
| 1434 |
| Town suffers nine weeks of storms and floods |
| 1435 |
| Royal Cortes to be held only in Madrid |
| 1463 |
| Weekly market established and also Fairs of San Miguel and San Mateo |
| 1474 |
| Supporters of Isabel besiege the city |
| 1478 |
| Initiation of Spanish Inquisition |
| 1479 |
| Pedro Zapata founds Monastery de Rejas |
| 1492 |
| 3rd Purge of Jews and destruction of their Quarter |
| 1498 |
| Pigs are forbidden to roam freely in the streets |
| 1500 |
| Printing press in operation |
| 1503 |
| Foundation of Convento de San Jerómino el Real |
| 1505 |
| San Jerónimo el Real built. |
| 1518 |
| Construction began of Church of Beato Isidoro |
| 1520 |
| Rebellion by citizens of Madrid against Carlos I |
| 1520 |
| Madrid surrenders after Battle of Villalar |
| 1523 |
| Dominicans established in Virgen de Atocha |
| 1525 |
| Francis I of France imprisoned in Torre de Los Lujanes |
| 1526 |
| Treaty of Madrid signed. |
| 1528 |
| Isabel authorized construction of Church of San Isidoro |
| 1537 |
| Casa de Cisneros built. |
| 1547 |
| Founded Convento Agustino de San Felipe Nery y el de la Trinidad Descalza |
| 1547 |
| Writer Miquel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) |
| 1559 |
| Convent of Las Descalzas Reales founded. |
| 1561 |
| Madrid Population: 20,000. |
| 1561 |
| Royal Court moved to Madrid and established as capital of Spain |
| 1562 |
| Felipe II acquired land to create Casa de Campo |
| 1562 |
| Writer Félix Lope de Vega (1562-1635) |
| 1563 |
| Work commences on El Escorial |
| 1580 |
| Writer Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas (1580-1645) |
| 1584 |
| Bridge of Segovia built. |
| 1590 |
| Construction of Casas de la Panadería |
| 1592 |
| Construction of Convento de Los Agustinos Recoletos |
| 1599 |
| Construction of the first section of the Puerto de Alcalá |
| 1599 |
| Painter Diego de Velázquez (1599-1660) |
| 1601 |
| Court of Philip III moves from Madrid to Valladolid. |
| 1600 |
| Royal Court moved to Valladolid |
| 1600 |
| Dramatist Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681) |
| 1605 |
| Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote published. |
| 1606 |
| Court of Philip III returns to Madrid. |
| 1606 |
| Construction of Convento de Santa Bárbara |
| 1606 |
| Royal Court moved back to Madrid |
| 1613 |
| Palace of the Councils built. |
| 1616 |
| Felipe III orders construction of Plaza Mayor |
| 1616 |
| Real Monasterio de la Encarnación inaugurated. |
| 1618 |
| Felipe III creates Parque del Retiro |
| 1622 |
| Construction of Convento de la Encarnación |
| 1632 |
| Real Sitio del Buen Retiro Palace completed |
| 1633 |
| Church of San Antonio de los Alemanes built. |
| 1636 |
| Royal Alcazar built. |
| 1637 |
| Buen Retiro Palace built |
| 1643 |
| Palacio de Santa Cruz built |
| 1644 |
| Funeral of Isabel de Borbón. |
| 1661 |
| Gazeta de Madrid begins publication. |
| 1664 |
| San Isidro Church built. |
| 1700 |
| Construction of Palacio de Goyaneche |
| 1701 |
| Bourbon Felipe V arrives in Madrid to take throne |
| 1706 |
| City occupied by Portuguese. |
| 1713 |
| Real Academia Española founded. |
| 1714 |
| Real Biblioteca del Palacio formed. |
| 1717 |
| Palacio de Uceda renamed Palacio de Consejos |
| 1719 |
| Puente de Toledo rebuilt |
| 1720 |
| Construction of Cuartel del Conde-Duque |
| 1722 |
| Construction of Hospicio de San Fernando (now Municipal Museum) |
| 1734 |
| Royal Alcázar destroyed by fire |
| 1738 |
| Construction commenced of Royal Palace (1738-1764) |
| 1737 |
| Real Colegio de Profesores Boticarios established. |
| 1738 |
| Real Academia de la Historia founded. |
| 1743 |
| Teatro de la Cruz renovated. |
| 1746 |
| Painter Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) |
| 1750 |
| Construction of Convento de las Salasas Reales |
| 1751 |
| Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas headquartered in Madrid. |
| 1752 |
| Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando founded |
| 1755 |
| Real Jardín Botánico founded. |
| 1761 |
| Construction of Basilica of San Francisco el Grande |
| 1763 |
| Spanish National Lottery established |
| 1764 |
| Palace Real completed |
| 1766 |
| Construction of Casa de Correos |
| 1766 |
| Esquilache Riots. |
| 1767 |
| Jesuits expelled from their monasteries and Spain |
| 1769 |
| Construction of Casa Real de la Aduana (now Ministry of Hacienda) |
| 1769 |
| Enlargement of Puerto de Alcalá |
| 1775 |
| Construction of Salón del Prado |
| 1776 |
| Reconstruction of Hospital General (now Museum of Reina Sofia) |
| 1777 |
| Construction of Palacio de Benavente (now Ministry of Defense) |
| 1781 |
| Creation of Royal Botanical Gardens |
| 1784 |
| San Francisco el Grande Basilica built. |
| 1785 |
| Construction of Palacio del Prado (1785-1854 – now Prado Museum) |
| 1787 |
| 1st Official Census – 156.672 inhabitants in Madrid |
| 1790 |
| Reconstruction of Plaza Mayor after fire |
| 1798 |
| Construction of San Antonio de la Florida |
| 1808 |
| French Army of Napoleon occupies Madrid and street riots follow |
| 1812 |
| English General Wellington frees city from French occupiers |
| 1817 |
| Playwright José Zorrilla y Mora (1817-1893) |
| 1818 |
| Official opening of Prado Museum |
| 1820 |
| General Riego leads Liberal coup |
| 1832 |
| Public gas system installed in centre of City |
| 1834 |
| City roads paved and cleaning services established |
| 1835 |
| Church property seized by State |
| 1840 |
| General Espartero leads Radical coup |
| 1843 |
| General Narvaez leads Conservative coup |
| 1843 |
| Writer Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920) |
| 1844 |
| Railway Station of Aranjuez constructed |
| 1850 |
| Opening of Cortes building and Teatro Real |
| 1851 |
| Construction of Isabel II Canal for city water supply |
| 1855 |
| Construction commenced of railway line to Paris (1855-1864) |
| 1857 |
| Reconstruction of Plaza de la Puerto del Sol |
| 1866 |
| Construction of Biblioteca Nacional |
| 1868 |
| General Prim with a coup ends reign of Isabel II |
| 1868 |
| The Peseta is recognized as official currency of Spain |
| 1868 |
| Gardens of Parque del Retiro open to public |
| 1873 |
| The 1st Spanish Republic |
| 1875 |
| Alfonso XII restores monarchy |
| 1876 |
| New Spanish Constitution |
| 1881 |
| Electric street lighting installed |
| 1884 |
| Construction of Banco de España (1884-1891) |
| 1897 |
| Prime Minister Cánovas del Castillo assassinated |
| 1899 |
| Poet and playwright Federico Garciá Lorca (1899-1936) |
| 1900 |
| Construction of railway system to the east and south of Spain (1900-1914) |
| 1902 |
| Real Madrid FC founded |
| 1904 |
| Approval of creation of Gran Via |
| 1906 |
| Hotel Ritz opens |
| 1907 |
| Car number plates registration introduced |
| 1909 |
| Cibeles Palace built. |
| 1910 |
| Demolition to create the Gran Via commenced |
| 1912 |
| Hotel Palace opens. |
| 1916 |
| Market of San Miguel constructed. |
| 1916 |
| Novelist Camilo José Cela (1916- |
| 1920 |
| Madrid Population: 750,896 |
| 1921 |
| Metro system opens |
| 1923 |
| Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera established |
| 1923 |
| Teatro Monumental |
| 1929 |
| Construction of Madrid University Campus |
| 1931 |
| 2nd Spanish Republic |
| 1931 |
| Casa de Campo opened to the public |
| 1934 |
| Construction of viaduct over Calle Segovia |
| 1936 |
| Siege of Madrid begins |
| 1936 |
| Spanish Civil War commences |
| 1939 |
| General Franco occupies Madrid and ends Civil War |
| 1939 |
| Junta for reconstruction of Madrid established |
| 1941 |
| Museum of the Americas founded |
| 1944 |
| Carabanchel Prison built. |
| 1947 |
| Creation of system of public transport within the city |
| 1946 |
| Estadio Santiago Bernabéu opens. |
| 1950 |
| Lope de Vega Theater opens. |
| 1951 |
| Museum of Lázaro Galdiano opens. |
| 1956 |
| Real Madrid wins first European Cup |
| 1960 |
| Madrid Population: 2,259,931 |
| 1965 |
| Student demonstrations close Madrid University |
| 1966 |
| Real Madrid wins its 6th European Cup |
| 1967 |
| City flag design adopted. |
| 1970 |
| Madrid Population: 3,146,071 |
| 1971 |
| Technical University of Madrid formed. |
| 1972 |
| Temple of Debod installed. |
| 1972 |
| Zoo Aquarium built. |
| 1973 |
| Carrero Blanco assassinated |
| 1974 |
| Line 7 (Madrid Metro) begins operating. |
| 1975 |
| General Franco dies and power passes to the King |
| 1976 |
| El Pais newspaper is published |
| 1977 |
| UCD Party wins democratic elections |
| 1978 |
| Centro Dramático Nacional created. |
| 1979 |
| Democratic election of Municipal representatives |
| 1979 |
| Enrique Tierno Galván elected President of Municipality of Madrid (1979-1986) |
| 1980 |
| Line 9 (Madrid Metro) begins operating. |
| 1981 |
| Right-wing coup fails |
| 1982 |
| PSOE Party wins national elections |
| 1983 |
| Almudena Cathedral consecrated. |
| 1984 |
| Queen Sofía Chamber Orchestra formed. |
| 1987 |
| Community of Madrid Orchestra founded. |
| 1988 |
| National Auditorium of Music inaugurated. |
| 1989 |
| El Mundo begins publication |
| 1991 |
| City hosts Israeli–Palestinian peace conference. |
| 1991 |
| Madrid Population: 2,984,576. |
| 1992 |
| Madrid selected as Capital of European Culture for that year |
| 1993 |
| Opening of Palace of Congresses of Campo de las Naciones |
| 1995 |
| Completion of last Metro line, Line 6 |
| 1996 |
| Conservative Party wins national elections |
| 1996 |
| Gate of Europe and Islamic Cultural Center of Madrid built |
| 1998 |
| Madrid Metro Line 8 and Line 11 Begin Operating Line 8 |
| 2000 |
| Partido Popular win national elections |
| 2000 |
| Real Madrid makes soccer history by winning 8th European Cup |
| 2001 |
| City named World Book Capital by UNESCO. |
| 2002 |
| Madrid Arena opens |
| 2003 |
| Manzanares Park inaugurated |
| 2003 |
| Line 12 (Madrid Metro) begins operating. |
| 2004 |
| Museo del Traje established |
| 2005 |
| Madrid to Toledo high-speed rail line begins operating. |
| 2005 |
| Forest of Remembrance dedicated. |
| 2005 |
| Madrid Ballet established. |
| 2006 |
| Teatro Valle-Inclán opens. |
| 2007 |
| Metro Ligero begins operating |
| 2008 |
| Madrid to Barcelona high-speed rail line begins operating. |
| 2008 |
| CaixaForum Madrid opens. |
| 2009 |
| Population reached 3,264,497. |
| 2011 |
| Mass un-employed known as “Indignados” demonstrate |
| 2012 |
| More street demonstrations due to government financial measures |
| 2013 |
| 4th bid for the Summer Olympic Games fails. |
| 2015 |
| Parque Felipe VI inaugurated |