Editing Podgorica (section)

===Early history===
[[File:Doclea Roman city Podgorica.jpg|thumb|left|[[Doclea (Illyria)|Doclea]], Roman town, the seat of the Late Roman province of [[Praevalitana]]]]
[[File:Ancient city Doclea - ruins 06.jpg|thumb|190px|Archeological remains of the Roman period in Doclea]]
Podgorica is at the [[Crossroads (culture)|crossroads]] of several historically important routes, near the rivers [[Zeta River|Zeta]], [[Morača]], [[Cijevna]], [[Ribnica (Morača)|Ribnica]], [[Sitnica (Morača)|Sitnica]] and [[Mareza]] in the valley of [[Lake Skadar]] and near the Adriatic Sea, in fertile lowlands with favourable climate. The earliest human settlements were in prehistory: the oldest physical remains are from the late [[Stone Age]].

In the [[Iron Age]], the area between the [[Zeta plain|Zeta]] and [[Bjelopavlići plain|Bjelopavlići valleys]] was populated by two Illyrian tribes, the [[Labeates]] and the [[Docleatae]]. The population of the town of Doclea was 8,000–10,000, in which all core urban issues were resolved. The high population density (in an area of about {{cvt|10|km|0}} radius) was made possible by the geographical position, favorable climate, and economic conditions and by the defensive positions that were of great importance at that time.

The name Podgorica was first mentioned in 1326 in a court document of the [[Kotor]] archives. The city was economically strong: trade routes between the [[Republic of Ragusa]] and Serbia, well developed at that time, were maintained via the road that led to Podgorica through [[Trebinje]] and [[Nikšić]]. As a busy crossroads, Podgorica was a vibrant regional center of trade and communication. This boosted its development, economic power, military strength, and strategic importance.

In 1448 [[Stefan Crnojević]] allied himself with the [[Republic of Venice]], and after defeating the despot [[Đurađ Branković]] in 1452, he handed over Podgorica to the Venetian Republic, which already held the [[Shkodër]] region. However, Venetian rule of Podgorica did not last long, because [[Mehmed II]] soon conquered the fortified town of [[Medun]] in 1455, and two years later, most of [[Zeta under the Crnojevići|Zeta]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://podgorica.me/istorija-podgorice/ |website=Glavni grad Podgorica |title=Istorija Podgorice |date=28 September 2023 |access-date=5 January 2025}}</ref>