%L eprints3241
%P 1-40
%D 2016
%T Military Conflict and the Rise of Urban Europe
%R 10.1007/s10887-016-9129-4
%I Springer
%K Keywords: warfare, cities, political and economic development, Europe
JEL codes: C20, O10, N40, N90, P48, R11
%A Mark Dincecco
%A Massimiliano Gaetano Onorato
%X We present new evidence about the relationship between military conflict and city
population growth in Europe from the fall of Charlemagne’s empire to the start of
the Industrial Revolution. Military conflict was a main feature of European history.
We argue that cities were safe harbors from conflict threats. To test this argument,
we construct a novel database that geocodes the locations of more than 800 conflicts
between 800 and 1799. We find a significant, positive, and robust relationship that
runs from conflict exposure to city population growth. Our analysis suggests that
military conflict played a key role in the rise of urban Europe.
%J Journal of Economic Growth
%O First online: 30 March 2016