Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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City
(976 words)

A clear definition of a city can only be obtained using population figures. However, such figures must be viewed differently according to the context of urbanization from the High Middle Ages on, a fundamental trend in European history. A late medieval or early modern town with more than 10,000 inhabitants may be said to be a city. In the period of accelerated urbanization that began in Central Europe after 1800, a town with over 100,000 inhabitants would be regarded as a city.

Other characteristics that apply in general to towns are especially applicable to the city. In …

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Eibach, Joachim, “City”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_020469>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160907



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