Timișoara has a long history that begins with ancient human settlements on the current hearth of the city and later with the appearance of the first fortified fortress, around the twelfth century. The fortress went through various dominions that deeply marked its course of development. It began to develop under the Hungarian rule of Carol Robert de Anjou, in the 14th century, and soon became the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary. The fortress was then conquered by the Ottomans in 1552, and for almost two centuries became an important Turkish military stronghold. In 1716 the history of Timisoara takes a strong turn, when the fortress is conquered by the Habsburg Empire and begins the reconstruction and development of the city as the capital of Banat. The colonization of Banat makes Timisoara a true multicultural and multi-denominational center. The construction of the Bega waterway gives a strong impetus to economic development and trade. The city is experiencing an unprecedented period of flowering, reaching the name of 'Little Vienna' in recognition of its importance and beauty. In 1919, Banat was united with Romania and in Timișoara the Romanian administration was established for the first time. The post-war Soviet occupation marks the beginning of the communist period, which ended in 1989 with the Anti-Communism Revolution: a revolution started in the town on the Bega.