Since 9 present-day Croatia is part of the Roman Empire and it becomes in 379 part of the East Roman Empire. In the sixth century the Croats, who are believed to be a purely Slavic people who migrated from Ukraine, settle in present-day Croatia. After the collapse of East Roman rule in this area the region is controlled by the Frankish Realm. In 822 the first state of Croatia is founded, that develops into the Kingdom of Croatia in 925. In 1102 Hungary conquers Croatia and a personal union with Hungary is established. Croatia shares its history with Hungary until 1918, but from 1526 until the early 17th century most of Croatia was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. In 1868 Croatia gains domestic autonomy while remaining under Hungarian authority.

After the collapse of the Habsburgian rule, Croatia joins Serbia ad Slovenia into the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, renamed in 1918 into Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The new kingdom is a parliamentary democratic state. It is dominated by ethnic parties, with the exception of the liberal Demokratska Stranka (Democratic Party, DS) and the left-wing parties. The Serbian prime minister Nikola Pasić of the Narodna Radikalna Stranka (People's Radical Party, NRS) becomes the first prime minister of the new kingdom. He is succeeded later in 1918 by Stojan Protić (NRS), in 1919 by Ljubomir Davidović of the Demokratska Stranka (Democratic Party, DS), in 1920 again by Protić and later in 1920 by Milenko Vesnić. Nikola Pasić becomes prime minister in 1921 again. He rules until 1924, when Davidović takes over. Later that year Pasić takes over again. The NRS rule is continued since 1926 by Nikola Uzunović and Velimir Vukicević. After the assassination of the Croatian peasants' leader Nikola Radić, a coalition takes over government under Anton Korošec of the Slovenska Ljudska Stranka (Slovenian People's Party, SLS) as prime minister. Later in 1928 King Alexander establishes a royal dictatorship, based on the Serbs and he renames the country Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. He establishes the only allowed party, the Jugoslovenska Radikalno-Seljačka Demokratija (Jugoslav Radical Peasants' Democracy, JRSD). The JSRD delivers the prime ministers: Petar Živković (1929-1932), Vojislav Marinković (DS, 1932), Milan Srškić (1932-1934) and in 1934 Nikola Uzunović. By that time the JRSD is renamed Jugoslovenska Nacionalna Stranka (Yugoslav National Party, JNS). In 1934 king Alexander is assassinated. Bogoljub Jevtić becomes prime minister. With the support of the royal court a list headed by him wins the elections. Milan Stojadinović forms in 1935 the Jugoslovenska Radikalna Zajednica (Yugoslav Radical Union Party, JRZ) and he becomes prime minister until 1939. He is succeeded by Dragisa Cvetković (1939-1941) and in 1941 by Dusan T. Simović.

As a result of the German occupation of Yugoslavia, Croatia is created as an 'independent' state, a German puppet state, named the Independent State of Croatia. This state exists between 1941 and 1945. Leader is Ante Pavelic of the fascist Ustaša movement. In 1943 Yugoslavia is reconstituted as Democratic Federative Yugoslavia and the war against Germany and the Ustaša regime continues until 1945.

After the liberation Yugoslavia becomes a communist dictatorship in 1945 named Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia led by Josip Broz Tito and his Jugoslovenska Radikalna Zajednica (Yugoslav Radical Union Party, KPJ). Tito is prime minister from 1945 until 1953. That year he becomes president. The communists reorganize Yugoslavia in 1963 into a federation of republics as the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. The communist party remains under the name Savez Komunista Jugoslavije (League of Yugoslav Communists, SKJ) the only allowed party. When Tito dies in 1980 he is succeeded by a collective presidency.

In 1989 riding a wave of nationalist sentiment, Serbian president Slobodan Milosević reimposes direct rule over the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, prompting Albanians in Kosovo to agitate for separation from Serbia. In 1990 multi-party elections are held in Croatia. These elections lead to a landslide victory of the Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica (Croatian Democratic Community, HDZ) of Franjo Tuđman, who becomes president. After a referendum the Republic of Croatia becomes independent in 1991. De jure it is a parliamentary democratic republic, but de facto it is an authoritarian state lead by the HDZ. Conflict between Serbs and Croats in Croatia escalate and one month after Croatia declares independence, civil war erupts. In 1993 regain one-third of the territory lost the previous year. In 1994/1995 the Serb-held Republic of Krajina is conquered and in 1995 Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Dirmium are re-integrated in the country. The HDZ wins the parliamentary elections of 1995.

Only after the death of Tuđman in 1999 the opposition can win the elections. That year a coalition led by the Socijaldemokratska Partija Hrvatske (Social Democratic Party of Croatia, SPH) can form a government. The - now moderate - HDZ regains power in 2003 after the elections of that year.