TOLEDO, a province of Spain, forming a part of the ancient kingdom of Old Castille. It extends in north latitude from 39° 3' to 40° 54', and in west longitude from 3° 1' to 5° 32', and comprises 734 Spanish square leagues, or about 9060 English square miles. It is bounded on the north by the provinces of Madrid and Guadalaxara, on the east by Cuença, on the south by La Mancha, on the southwest by Estremadura, and on the north-west by Avila and Salamanca. The land is lofty and mountainous, with wide and uniform plains, almost destitute of trees. The soil is mostly calcareous and sandy, and on the hills stony, but [7:21:322]highly productive in situations in which it can be duly watered. The mountains of this province form a distinct chain, which shoots from Cuença, commences with small hills in the vicinity of Tarascon and Tembleque, then turns to the south, and by Madrilejos gradually attains the height of 2500 feet. It next turns to the west, and forms the Sierra of Yevemes; and then, under the name of Guadalupe, enters the province of Estremadura. The several spurs from this chain are called by various names.

The chief river of the province is the Tagus, which receives a great number of tributary streams within it, and others in Estremadura, through which province it passes in its course to Lisbon, where it terminates. It is not navigable in Toledo, though, with little expense, it might be easily made so. The river Guadiana enters the province in the south-east part, and is soon lost in the sands, and does not re-appear till it enters La Mancha. It then continues its course as a considerable stream by Badlajos, having its water increased by various tributary rivers and rivulets, till it enters the sea at Ayamonte, on the south-east frontier of Portugal. Notwithstanding these rivers, the want of water is a subject of complaint, as there are few or no wells. According to the latest, not very satisfactory, statement by Canga Arguelles, the population in 1797 was 370,641 persons, composing 74,128 families, occupying 68,953 dwellings, but leaving 4979 ruined or unoccupied houses. The description of the people, as given by the same author, is as follows: Nobles, 1430; labouring proprietors, 11,215; labouring tenants, 7155; day-labourers, 37,075; artisans, 10,127; traders and merchants, 797; public officers, 682; domestic servants, 6969; secular ecclesiastics, 2929; regular ecclesiastics, or monks and friars, 2969; and females in convents, 1569.

T oldeo , a city of Spain, the capital of a province, and of a subdivision or partido, of the same name. It is remarkable in history from having been the capital of the Moorish kings during their government of the peninsula; and it was distinguished at the commencement of the reign of Charles V. as the scene of the insurrection, in 1522, of Don Juan de Padilla, who was here executed after his defeat. It stands on the river Tagus, on some hills rising from it; and the city is thus rendered uneven and very irregular. There are two old strong bridges over the river. Toledo is surrounded by ancient walls, protected by towers, but is not defensible against modern modes of attack. The interior of the city has narrow streets, and many large buildings of very antique architecture. The most remarkable is the cathedral, an enormous pile in the Gothic style, ornamented with a vast quantity of decorations. It is 410 feet in length, 210 in breadth, and 112 feet in height. The other remarkable churches are those of St Thomas, of the Dominicans, and the Carmelites. The ancient palace of the Moorish kings is a very striking object, now converted into an hospital. The city suffers much from the want of water, the only supply being from the river, and conveyed to the houses on the backs of asses. Toledo is the seat of a university. The archbishopric is the richest in Spain, and the dignity is commonly filled by a member of the royal family. The archbishop has eight suffragan bishops under him, and enormous revenues, which are distributed largely in provisions, and this circumstance causes the city to swarm with idle beggars. This place was celebrated for the excellence of its sword blades; a manufacture introduced by the Moors, but now nearly, if not wholly, extinct. The silk and soap trades give some occupation. The number of inhabitants at present is supposed to be about 25,000, but is uncertain. Toledo was the birth-place of the dramatic poet Garcilaso de la Vega, and of the great critic Tostado. Long. 3. 27. 57. W. Lat. 40. 28. 40. N.