Slovak Lands in the Kingdom of Hungary

Following the disintegration of Great Moravia, the territory of modern Slovakia was gradually incorporated into the newly formed Kingdom of Hungary by 1000 CE. After the devastating Mongol invasion of 1241–42, German settlers were invited to repopulate the lands, bringing crucial skills in mining and crafts.

The mountainous regions of "Upper Hungary" were rich in gold, silver, and copper, leading to a golden age for mining towns like Banská Štiavnica, Kremnica, and Banská Bystrica. The Kremnica Mint, established in 1328, produced high-quality gold ducats used across Europe. In 1627, gunpowder was used for mining for the first time in Banská Štiavnica.

The defeat of the Hungarian army by the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Mohács in 1526 was a pivotal moment. The Hungarian crown passed to the Austrian Habsburgs, and with much of the kingdom occupied, the capital was moved from Buda to the safer city of Pressburg (Bratislava) in 1536.

For over 250 years, Bratislava served as the administrative center and coronation city of Royal Hungary. Eleven kings and seven queens, including the famous Empress Maria Theresa in 1741, were crowned in St. Martin's Cathedral. This period cemented the city's political importance within the Habsburg Monarchy.