Way back in the 5th century, Geneva was successively occupied by Romans and then Burgundians. The city became increasingly affluent through its fairs and markets, raising the interest of the House of Savoy, who made several plays for control of the city. In 1530, under pressure from the Swiss Confederation, the Duke of Savoy finally agreed to leave Geneva alone.

The Reformation was introduced to Geneva in the 1530s, courtesy of John Calvin. His pulpit preachings were so successful that the city became known as the 'Protestant Rome'. There ensued a time so austere that it seemed fun itself had been banished to hell; dancing and the wearing of jewels were seen as corrupting and therefore forbidden. Around the same time the taking of interest on a loan was legalised for the first time. Such repression might have been expected to deter visitors but Geneva's reputation as an intellectual centre attracted many free thinkers, including Rousseau and Voltaire.

In the meantime, Geneva had to put up with another incursion from Savoy in 1602. In a famous and commemorated victory, the hopelessly outnumbered yet canny Genevese were able to repel the entire Savoyard force. There was no further trouble with Savoy, but in 1798 the French annexed the city and held it for the next 16 years before it was freed on 1 June 1814 and admitted to the Swiss Confederation.

Geneva's fame as the home of many international humanitarian institutions dates back to 1859 and the work of businessman and humanitarian Henry Dunant, whose initiatives led to the establishment of the International Red Cross in 1864. The Geneva Convention was adopted in 1864, and Dunant went on to become co-winner of the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.