History
The town's name is a Slavic toponym: in archaic Slovene, gradišče (cf. gord) was a term indicating a fortified site or a ruin and is a widespread toponym in Slovene ethnic territory. Gradisca is mentioned for the first time in 1176, when it had a mixed population of Slavic and Latin origin under the Patriarchate of Aquileia. In 1473 it was annexed by the Republic of Venice, which fortified it as a bastion against the Ottomans. In 1511 it was captured by Maximilian I, and thenceforth it was a possession of the House of Habsburg. In 1615, an attempts of the Venetians to reconquer it initiated the War of Gradisca. The town was however kept the Imperials, and was made capital of the County of Gradisca; later emperor Ferdinand III sold the territory to John Anthony of Eggenberg, whose family held Gradisca until 1717, enlarging and enriching it constantly.
With the disappearance of the Eggenberg, the county returned to the Habsburg, being united with the County of Gorizia in 1754. The union resulted in the creation of the County of Gorizia and Gradisca, which existed until the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918.
During Austrian domination, the town retained its predominantly Italian character. According to the last Austrian census of 1910, 60,0% of the population of the town spoke Italian or Friulian, 13,8% spoke Slovene and a mere 2,3% spoke German as their first language.
In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, the population of Gradisca fought under Austria-Hungary. In 1921 the town became part of Italy.
Read more about this topic: Gradisca D'Isonzo
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