Which country was the origin of the ''necktie''?

A necktie is a long piece of cloth. It is worn usually by men for decorative purposes around the neck. Variants include ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, zipper tie, cravat and clip-on tie. Neckties are generally unsized. In some cultures men and boys wear neckties as part of their regular office attire or formal wear. The origin of necktie is interesting. The Croatian mercenaries (from the Croatian Military Frontier in French) were in service during Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) in the 17th century.The mercenaries were wearing their traditional small knotted neckerchiefs. This had aroused the interest of Parisians.The Boy-king Louis14 had began wearing a lace cravat in 1646, ( from the Croatian word for Croats, Hrvati, and the French word, Croates, the garment had gained the name ''cravat'') when he was only seven years of age.This had set the fashion for French nobility.This new article of clothing had started a fashion craze in Europe.

International Necktie Day is celebrated on October 18 in Croatia and various cities around the world. This celebration is actually commemorates an element of national heritage. Croatia after all, claims to have pioneered that most ubiquitous of modern accessories: necktie.