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Historians, from very early periods, have noticed Gibraltar, or Mons Calpe, by a well-known mythological fiction, denominating it, and Mons Abyla, on the opposite coast of Africa, the Pillars of Hercules. It does not, however, appear that the hill was ever inhabited by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, or Romans, who, in the first ages of navigation, visited the bay, and built cities in its neighbourhood; or that it ever engaged the attention of those intrepid and successful barbarians who so violently subverted the Roman empire, and established a new government in Spain. The period when it began to be remarked for the natural strength of its situation, seems well ascertained to be in the beginning of the eighth century, when the Saracens (then become a powerful nation in the east, and along the coast of Africa) invaded Spain, and soon after made themselves masters of the whole country.

The Gothic kingdom, which had existed in Spain for 300 years, was,

cens, distracted with intestine divisions: the nation in general were become effeminate, totally neglecting the military discipline of their ancestors; and their monarch Roderic, a profligate prince, not a little accelerated their ruin by ravishing the daughter of Count Julian, a nobleman of great wealth and influence, and governor of Ceuta, in Africa. Count Julian, to avenge the dishonour done to his family, combined with other discontented chiefs, who had long complained, and were ripe for a revolt. The tyrant was, however, too powerful for whatever opposition they alone could raise; the count, therefore, secretly retired with his family into Africa, and acquainting Mousa (the Saracen governor of the western provinces) with the divided state of the empire, promised, if he would attempt to dethrone Roderic, to assist him with his own interest, and that of his friends.

Mousa, cautious and prudent, communicated the project to his sovereign the Caliph Al Walid Ebn Abdalmalic, who agreed to try the practicability of it; and, to inspect more accurately the state of affairs, sent over a small detachment. 100 horse, and 400 foot, were accordingly embarked in the year 711, under the command of Tarif Ebn Zarca, attended by Count Julian,

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Mousa, elated with the flattering prospect, the following year assembled an army of 12,000 men, and Tarif was appointed to the chief command. Having supplied himself with provisions and stores, Tarif once more embarked on the rapid Strait, and landed on the isthmus between Mons Calpe and the continent. The object of this invasion being of a more serious nature than that of the former, he determined to secure a communication with Africa, by establishing a post on the coast; and, duly estimating the strong natural situation of Mons Calpe, gave orders to erect a castle on the face of the hill, which might answer the original purpose, and also cover his retreat, in case he should be unfortunate in his future operations. The superior part of this once magnificent pile at present remains; and, from an inscription discovered over the principal gate, before it was pulled down, the period of its being finished is ascertained to be about the year of our

Lord 725.

Tarif, leaving a garrison at the foot of Mons Calpe (which was now called by the Saracens, in compliment to their - general, Gibel-Tarif, or the mountain of Tarif, and thence Gibraltar), marched into the country, and surprised many towns, amongst which was Heraclea, or Carteia, situated on the coast of the bay, about four miles distant from Gibel-Tarif.

King Roderic, receiving intelligence of Tarif's approach, assembled a numerous body of troops to oppose his progress. Both armies met, after several skirmishes, near Xeres, in Andalusia, and a bloody conflict ensued. The victory was for a long time doubtful; but the Gothic army being raw and undisciplined, and part disaffected and joining the Saracens, Tarif at

The Goths, or Spaniards as we will now call them, were driven by the rapid conquests of the invaders into the provinces of Asturias, Biscay, &c., where, like the ancient Britons, they maintained a strenuous and respectable opposition. By degrees they reassumed their former discipline and valour, while their conquerors declined into luxury and effeminacy: they made several excursions from the mountains, recovering, after many obstinate actions, great part of the northern provinces. This success encouraged them to attempt the total rejection of the Arabic yoke. Measures were concerted among the chiefs, to act with union and with vigour. The infidels were attacked and routed in successive engagements; and the kingdoms of Asturias, Galicia, Leon, Navarre, and Castile, erected under different monarchs.

Gibraltar, during these transactions, increased in importance, though not in an equal degree with the neighbouring city of Algeziras, which had been built, posterior to Gibraltar, on the opposite shore of the bay, and was then become a fortress of great magnificence and strength. This celebrated city seems totally to have obscured Gibraltar in the histories of those times, since very trifling mention is made of the latter till the beginning of the fourteenth century, when we learn that Ferdinand, king of Castile, in the course of his conquests, first took it (with a small detachment) from the infidels.

Gibraltar could not at this period be very strong, as it fell so easy a prey to the Christians, whose army had been, and at that time was employed in the siege of Algeziras. It does not, however, appear that Ferdinand was equally successful in his operations against that city; for we find, in the year 1316, the Moors of Grenada applying to the emperor of Fez for succour: and, to facilitate their reception, Algeziras and other cities on the coast were put into the hands of the Africans. We may therefore conclude that Ferdinand was

obliged to withdraw from before Alge- | ziras, and that he afterwards directed his force against the infidels in a more vulnerable part, which induced them to apply for the assistance just mentioned. Gibraltar continued in the possession of the Spaniards till 1333, when Abomelique, son of the Emperor of Fez, was dispatched with further assistance to the Moorish king of Granada, and landing at Algeziras, immediately laid siege to Gibraltar, whilst the Granadians were making diversions elsewhere. Alonzo XI. was then on the throne of Castile; and intelligence was immediately sent to inform him of the descent of the Africans. He was, however, prevented from marching to the relief of Gibraltar by a rebellion in his kingdom, and by the approach of Mahomet, king of Granada, towards his frontiers. Abomelique commenced his attack on the castle with great judgment and bravery, and the Spanish governor Vasco Perez de Meyra defended it with equal obstinacy; but Perez having embezzled the money which was advanced to victual the garrison, the troops and inhabitants suffered great distress; and no prospect of relief offering, he was compelled, after five months' siege, to surrender.

Alonzo having quelled the rebellion, and obliged Mahomet to retire, was then marching to the assistance of Perez, and was advanced within a short distance of Gibraltar, when he was informed of the capitulation. He was resolved nevertheless to attempt its recovery before the Moors could victual and repair it: he accordingly proceeded on his route, and encamped before the town five days after it had surrendered. Alonzo parted his army into three divisions; the main body occupied the isthmus, the second he sent by boats to the red sands, and the third climbed up the north of the hill above the town. Several serious attacks had been made on the castle, when Mahomet, king of Granada, joining Abomelique's forces, their combined army encamped in the rear of the Spaniards, extending across the isthmus from the bay to the Mediterranean. This position hemmed in the

besiegers, debarred them from foraging, and cut off their communication with the country. Alonzo, though thus critically situated, still maintained the siege; but at length, driven to great difficulties for want of provisions, and hearing that some of his disaffected subjects, taking advantage of his absence, were again in arms, he hearkened to an accommodation, and was permitted to retire with his army.

To be thus disgracefully compelled to raise the siege did not agree with the ambitious and impatient temper of Alonzo: he secretly meditated a new attack whenever an opportunity should occur; and this intention was not a little strengthened by his success in the year 1343-4, when Algeziras was taken, after a most memorable siege. In 1349 the tumults and civil wars in Africa afforded him the opportunity he waited for: great preparations were therefore made for this expedition, which was not esteemed of inferior consequence to the preceding siege of Algeziras, as the Moors, since the loss of that city, had paid great attention to the completion of the works, and to the rendering of the place considerably stronger by additional fortifications; the garrison was also numerous and well provided, and of their choicest troops.

Alonzo encamped before Gibraltar in the beginning of 1349, and immediately laid waste the delightful groves, gardens, and houses of pleasure, which were erected in its neighbourhood. The siege was commenced with great bravery, and though the camp of the Castilians was much harassed by the flying squadrons of Granadian horse, yet the castle in the course of several months was almost reduced to a capitulation. At this critical period a pestilential disorder swept away numbers of the besiegers, and among the rest Alonzo, who died, much lamented, on the 26th of March, 1350; and the Spaniards immediately afterwards raised th siege.

The descendants of Abomelique continued in quiet possession of Gibraltar till 1410, when Jusaf III., king of Gra nada, availing himself of the intestine divisions which prevailed among the