Groningen

Groningen was established more than 980 years ago and gained city rights de facto in 1245, making it one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, although no written records of a formal grant of city rights remain. Due to its relatively isolated location from the successive Dutch centres of power (Utrecht, The Hague, Brussels), Groningen was historically reliant on itself and nearby regions. As a Hanseatic city, it was part of the North German trade network, but later it mainly became a regional market centre. At the height of its power in the 15th century, Groningen could be considered an independent city-state and it remained autonomous until the late 18th century, when it was incorporated into the Napoleonic Batavian Republic.