History of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, has a long and eventful history. The origins of the city lie around 1000 CE, when inhabitants settled at the mouth of the Amstel and began peatland reclamation. After the All Saints' Flood (1170), a dam was built in the Amstel to protect the lower lands from floods. In 1275, Amsterdam was granted a toll privilege by Count Floris V which exempted it from a bridge toll. This made Amsterdam popular for international traders to sell goods at lower prices. During the Middle Ages, it developed into one of the largest trading cities in the world. The 17th century was a Golden Age, Amsterdam was the most important trading hub in Europe and the leading financial centre of the western world.
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