The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-12-26
GIBRALTAR's sIEGEs.
Aas Had Thirteen and One Lasted
Three Years, But the Rock Has
Had Century of Peace.

|
The first name by which Gibraltar
was known was that of Mons Calpe, and
/ 1t continued to be so called till the i'll
cursions of the Arabs in the year 713.
When the all-cSnquering Roma MS re-
duced Iberia, this mountain afforded
temporary asylum to the Baeticans;
but their resistance was in vain, and a
Roman settlement was made to the
west of Calpe, which bore the name of
Julia Traducta. The Carthaginians
seized on all Baetica, but it was again
recovered by Lucius Lucinius Lucullus,
and Calpe remained in the possession
OF the Romans until they were ulti-
mately driven out of all Spain by the
Westrogoths, in SOS, says the London
Mirror.
A domestic quarrel introduced the
Arabs into Spain in the year 713. The
mountain then obtained the name of
Jabal Tarik, or Tarik's mountain, Ia
rik being the chief under whom the in
! cursion was made.
| The history of this famous rock is no
less remarkable in regard to the 10
sieges which it has undergone.
In 1910 Alonzo Perez de Guzman first
took it from the Infidels, which so en-
ragged them that they murdered their
king, Mahomet.
The second siege was in 1916, when
Ismael, king of Grenada, in vain at
tempted to retake it.
i, The third commenced in February,
| 123O nndnr l,o, al, AZ
| Spaniards, after enduring almost intol-
| cradle fatigue, and subsisting for
weeks on the leather of their shields,
were starved into a surrender in the
middle of June.
The fourth siege was begun by Don
| Alonzo XII, in the end of the same
month, he having been within four
| days march of the place on its surren-
der. This investment was attended
with uncommon circums tances of hard
ship, both to the besieged and besieg-
| ers. The latter were blocked up in
the neck of Gibraltar by the king of
Grenada and Abamelique, who marched
with an army to the relief of the garri-
son. At last, on August 20, a peace was
l SchNi1NiCd anu Tic siege TdlSGu.
| Don Alonzo again sat down before it
IN the summer of 1349, and during this,
which was the fifth siege, and which
continued for nine months, the garri-
son was reduced to great straits. But
| Don Alonzo was carried off by the
| plague in March, 1850.
| The emperors OF Fee neglecting their
| Snanich ttor L.
of Grenada, took it in 1410, but the next
| year the inhabitants drove out the con-
querors, and put themselves under the
protection of Muley Bueld, emperor of
Fee.
Juzaf besieged it in form in January
following with feet and army,
and the garrison was starved into
surrender.
The eighth siege was in 1898, when
Don Enrique de Guzman attacked it
with strong force, but was defeated
| by the Moors and drowned. His son.
however, brought off the remains of
his army.
In 1862 the son returned with great
er force and took the place, which ever
since has remained in possession of the
| Christians.
The tenth siege was in 1904, when it
was torn from the Spaniards by the
English under the command of Sir
George Rookie.
An expedition was Immediately
formed and the eleventh siege COM
menced under the Marquis de Villada-
rias. The siege lasted four months;
and finding all their efforts, though
vigorous, were vain, it was abandoned
in 1908.
The Spaniards sat down before Glib
raltar on February 10, in 1727; but this,
which was the twelfth siege and under
the conduct of the Marquis de las Tor
ras, was fruitless.
The last, the thirteenth siege, con-
tinued necessarily for three years, it
having been invested by sea and land
in July, 1879; by sea under the com
mand of Don Barcelo and by land under
Don Juan de Mendoza; and the garri-
son presented to Europe picture of
the most gallant defense. They re-
sisted the efforts of the most numer-
Gus and best equipped band of be-
siegers that perhaps ever beset any
fortress. The British fleets annually
relieved the garrison, and on the only
occasion they were opposed had the
glory to gain signal victory over the
| enemy's fleet.