1945: Marshal Tito emerges as head of the new socialist state of Yugoslavia, which is comprised of six republics: Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.

1970: The University of Pristina is founded in Kosovo as a bilingual institution for majority Albanians and minority Serbs.

1974: After years of repressing Albanian nationalism, Tito finally grants Kosovo autonomy within the Republic of Serbia. Under a new constitution, ethnic Albanians are free to establish their own parliament, as well as legal and education systems, with relatively little interference from Belgrade.

1989: Yugoslavia begins to unravel following the collapse of the communist regime. Croatia and Slovenia gain independence three years later, setting the stage for the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Serbian President Slobodan Milosovic revokes Kosovo