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- published: 07 Jul 2010
- views: 3609
- author: THEWORLDOFTRAVEL
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- Alghero
- Almohad Caliphate
- Almoravid dynasty
- Alpes Cottiae
- Alpes Maritimae
- Alpes Poeninae
- Ancient Rome
- Andalusia
- Andorra
- Apulia et Calabria
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- Battle of Ad Decimum
- Battle of Llucmajor
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Alghero
Alghero (Italian pronunciation: [alˈɡɛro]; Catalan: L'Alguer, pronounced: [ɫəɫˈɣe], locally: [lalˈɣe]; Sardinian: S'Alighèra; Sassarese: La Liéra), is a town of about 44,000 inhabitants in Italy. It lies in the province of Sassari in northwestern Sardinia, next to the Mediterranean Sea.
The area of today's Alghero has been settled since pre-historic times. The so-called Ozieri culture was present here in the 4th millennium BCE while the Nuraghe civilization was present in the area around 1500 BCE, as traces of Phoenician buildings have been found not far from the city.
Due to its strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea, Alghero was built around a fortified port, founded around 1102 by the Genoese Doria family. The Doria ruled it for centuries, apart from a brief period under the rule of Pisa (1283–84). In 1353 it was captured by the forces of the Crown of Aragon under Bernardo de Cabrera; in 1372, following several revolts, the indigenous population was expelled, and Alghero could later grow thanks to the arrival of Catalan colonists. In the early 16th century Alghero received the status of King's City (ciutat de l'Alguer) and developed economically.
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Andalusia
Andalusia (English /ˌændəˈluːʒə/, /ˌændəˈluːziə/; Spanish: Andalucía [andaluˈθi.a] or [andaluˈsi.a]) is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities in Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville. Its capital is the city of Seville (Spanish: Sevilla).
Andalusia is in the south of the Iberian peninsula, immediately south of the autonomous communities of Extremadura and Castile–La Mancha; west of the autonomous community of Murcia and the Mediterranean Sea; east of Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean; and north of the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain from Morocco, and the Atlantic Ocean. The small British overseas territory of Gibraltar shares a three-quarter-mile land border with the Andalusian province of Cádiz at the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Andalusia has three major geographic subregions. In the north, the mountainous Sierra Morena separates Andalusia from the plains of Extremadura and Castile–La Mancha on Spain's Meseta Central. South of that, one can distinguish Upper Andalusia, generally the Baetic System, from Lower Andalusia with its Baetic Depression of the valley of the Guadalquivir.
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Andorra
Andorra (
i/ænˈdɔrə/; Catalan pronunciation: [ənˈdorə], locally: [anˈdɔra]), officially the Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Principat d'Andorra), also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, (Catalan: Principat de les Valls d'Andorra), is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of 468 km2 (181 sq mi) and an estimated population of 84,082 in 2009. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres (3,356 ft) above sea level. The official language is Catalan, although Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also commonly spoken.
The Principality was formed in 1278. The role of monarch is exercised jointly by the two co-princes, the Catalan Bishop of Urgell and the President of France (the whole state is a part of Diocese of Urgell).
Andorra is a prosperous country mainly because of its tourism industry, which services an estimated 10.2 million visitors annually, and also because of its status as a tax haven. It is not a member of the European Union, but the euro is the de facto currency. The people of Andorra have the 4th highest human life expectancy in the world — 82 years at birth.
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Arabia Petraea
Arabia Petraea, also called Provincia Arabia or simply Arabia, was a frontier province of the Roman Empire beginning in the 2nd century; it consisted of the former Nabataean kingdom in modern Jordan, southern modern Syria, the Sinai Peninsula and northwestern Saudi Arabia. Its capital was Petra. It was bordered on the north by Syria, on the west by Iudaea and Aegyptus.
It was annexed by Trajan, like many other eastern frontier provinces of the Roman Empire, but held onto, unlike Armenia, Mesopotamia and Assyria, well after Trajan's rule – its desert frontier being called the Limes Arabicus. It produced no usurpers and no emperors (Philippus, though Arab, was from Shahbā, a Syrian city added to the province of Arabia at a point between 193 and 225—Philippus was born around 204). As a frontier province, it included a desert populated by the nomadic Saraceni, and bordering the Parthian hinterland.
Though subject to eventual attack and deprivation by the Parthians and Palmyrenes, it had nothing like the constant incursions faced in other areas on the Roman frontier, such as Germany and North Africa, nor the entrenched cultural presence that defined the other, more Hellenized, eastern provinces.
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Aragon
Aragon (
/ˈærəɡɒn/ or /ˈærəɡən/), also known in Spanish and Aragonese as Aragón ([aɾaˈɣon]) and in Catalan as Aragó ([əɾəˈɣo] or [aɾaˈɣo]), is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza (also called Saragossa in English). The current Statute of Autonomy declares Aragon a nationality of Spain.
Aragon's northern province of Huesca borders France and is positioned in the middle of the Pyrenees. Within Spain, the community is flanked by Catalonia on the east, Valencia and Castile–La Mancha to the south, and Castile and León, La Rioja, and Navarre to the west.
Covering an area of 47,719 km2 (18,424 sq mi), the region's terrain ranges diversely from permanent glaciers to verdant valleys, rich pasture lands and orchards, through to the arid steppe plains of the central lowlands. Aragon is home to many rivers—most notably, the river Ebro, Spain's largest river in volume, which runs west-east across the entire region through the province of Zaragoza. It is also home to the Aneto, the highest mountain in the Pyrenees.
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Asturias
Asturias (English /əˈstʊriəs/, /əˈstjʊəriəs/, /ɑːˈstʊərjəs/), officially the Principality of Asturias (Spanish: Principado de Asturias [pɾinθiˈpaðo ðe asˈtuɾjas]; Asturian: Principáu d'Asturies [pɾinθiˈpaw ðasˈtuɾjes]), is an autonomous community of Spain. It is coextensive with the province of Asturias, and contains nearly all of the territory that was part of the Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages. The autonomous community of Asturias is bordered by Cantabria to the east, by Castile and León to the south, by Galicia to the west, and by the Bay of Biscay to the north.
The most important cities are the communal capital, Oviedo (Uviéu), the seaport and largest city Gijón (Xixón), and the industrial town of Avilés. Other popular municipalities include Cangas de Onís (Cangues d'Onís), Cangas del Narcea, Gozón, Grado (Grau), Langreo (Llangréu), Laviana (Llaviana), Lena (Ḷḷena), Llanes, Mieres, Siero, Valdés, Vegadeo (A Veiga) and Villaviciosa (see also List of municipalities and comarcas in Asturias).
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Austria
Austria (i/ˈɒstriə/ or /ˈɔːstriə/; German: Österreich [ˈøːstɐˌʁaɪç] (
listen)), officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich (help·info)), is a landlocked country of roughly 8.47 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres (32,377 sq mi) and has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speak local Austro-Bavarian dialects of German as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other local official languages are Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene.
The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe and, in response to the coronation of Napoleon I as the Emperor of the French, the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary.
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Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands (English /ˌbæliˈærɨk ˈaɪləndz/; Catalan: Illes Balears [ˈiʎəz βəɫəˈas]; Spanish: Islas Baleares [ˈizlaz βaleˈaɾes]) are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, with Palma as the capital city. The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Catalan and Castillan Spanish. The current Statute of Autonomy declares the Balearic Islands as one nationality of Spain.
The official name of the Balearic Islands is in Catalan, Illes Balears, while in Spanish they are known as the Islas Baleares. The term "Balearic" derives from Greek (Γυμνησίαι/Gymnesiae and Βαλλιαρεῖς/Balliareis) and Latin (Baleares).
There are various theories on the origins of the two ancient Greek and Latin names for the islands — Gymnasiae and Baleares. Two survive in classical sources.
According to the Lycophron's Alexandra verses, the islands were called Gymnesiae Γυμνησίαι (gymnos γυμνός, meaning naked in Greek) because its inhabitants were often nude, probably because of the year-long benevolent climate.
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Balearic Sea
Coordinates: 40°0′N 1°30′E / 40°N 1.5°E / 40; 1.5
The Balearic Sea or Iberian Sea is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands. In the Catalan language the area is also known as the Catalan-Balearic Sea (Mar Catalanobalear).
The Ebro River flows into this small sea.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Balearic Sea as follows:
Between the Islas Baleares and the coast of Spain, bounded:
On the Southwest. A line from Cape San Antonio, Spain (38°50′N 0°12′E / 38.833°N 0.2°E / 38.833; 0.2) to Cabo Berberia, the Southwest extreme of Formentera (Islas Baleares).
On the Southeast. The South Coast of Formentera, thence a line from Punta Rotja, its Eastern extreme, to the Southern extreme of Isla Cabrera (39°07′N 2°54′E / 39.117°N 2.9°E / 39.117; 2.9) and to Isla del Aire, off the Southern extreme of Minorca.
On the Northeast. The East coast of Minorca up to Cabo Favaritx (40°00′N 4°14′E / 40°N 4.233°E / 40; 4.233) thence a line to Cabo San Sebastian (Spain) (41°54′N 3°10′E / 41.9°N 3.167°E / 41.9; 3.167).
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Battle of Llucmajor
The Battle of Llucmajor (Catalan: Batalla de Llucmajor; IPA: [bəˈtaʎə ðə ˌʎumːəˈʒo]) occurred in 1349 when Peter IV of Aragon's forces defeated and killed his cousin James III of Majorca in the town of Llucmajor on the Balearic Islands, resulting in the end of the independent Kingdom of Majorca.
Coordinates: 39°29′N 2°53′E / 39.483°N 2.883°E / 39.483; 2.883
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Biscay
Biscay (in Basque and officially Bizkaia and in Spanish Vizcaya) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao. It is one of the most prosperous and important provinces of Spain as a result of the massive industrialization of the last years of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century. Currently, the industrial activity has given away space to an important activity in the services sector, especially since the deep deindustrialization of the 1970s.
It is nowadays accepted in linguistics (Koldo Mitxelena, etc.) that Bizkaia, the original Basque term, is a cognate of bizkar (cf. Biscarrosse in Aquitaine), with both place-name variants well attested in the whole Basque Country and out meaning 'low ridge' or 'prominence' (Iheldo bizchaya attested in 1141 for the hill Igeldo in Donostia).
“Bizkaia” is the Basque denomination recommended by the Royal Academy of the Basque language, and it is commonly used on official documents on that language. It is also used on documents in Spanish, and it is the most used denomination by the media in Spanish in the Basque Country. It is also the denomination used in the Basque version of the Spanish constitution and in the Basque version of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country.
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Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia ( /biːˈoʊʃiə/ or /biːˈoʊʃə/; Greek: Βοιωτία, Modern Greek: [vi.oˈti.a], Ancient Greek: [bojɔːtía]; modern transliteration Voiotía, also Viotía, formerly Cadmeis), is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the largest city being Thebes.
Boeotia lies to the north of the eastern part of the Gulf of Corinth. It also has a short coastline on the Gulf of Euboea. It bordered on Megaris (now West Attica) in the south, Attica in the southeast, Chalcis (now part of the regional unit Euboea) in the northeast, Opuntian Locris (now part of Phthiotis) in the north and Phocis in the west.
The main mountain ranges of Boeotia are Mount Parnassus in the west, Mount Helicon in the southwest, Kithairon in the south and Parnitha in the east. Its longest river, the Cephissus (Kifisos), flows in the central part, where most of the low-lying areas of Boeotia are found. Lake Copais was a large lake in the center of Boeotia. It was drained in the 19th century. Lake Yliki is a large lake near Thebes.
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Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (English /kəˈnɛəri ˈaɪləndz/; Spanish: Islas Canarias [ˈizlas kaˈnaɾjas, ˈihlah kaˈnaɾjas]), also known as the Canaries (Spanish: Canarias), is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union. The islands include (from largest to smallest): Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa, Alegranza, Isla de Lobos, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. The Canary Islands are legally recognized as a nationality of Spain. Geographically it is a part of the African Continent.[citation needed]
The archipelago's beaches, climate and important natural attractions, especially Teide National Park and Mount Teide (the third tallest volcano in the world measured from its base on the ocean floor), make it a major tourist destination, with over 12 million visitors per year, especially Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. The islands have a subtropical climate, with long warm summers and moderately warm winters. Due to their location above the temperature inversion layer, these islands are ideal for astronomical observation. For this reason, two professional observatories, Teide Observatory on the island of Tenerife and Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, have been built on the islands.
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Cantabria
Cantabria (English /kænˈtɑːbriə/, /kænˈtæbriə/; Spanish: [kanˈtaβɾja]) is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community (province of Biscay), on the south by Castile and León (provinces of León, Palencia and Burgos), on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay).
Cantabria belongs to Green Spain, the name given to the strip of land between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains, so called because of its particularly lush vegetation, due to the wet and moderate oceanic climate. The climate is strongly influenced by Atlantic Ocean winds trapped by the mountains; the average precipitation is about 1,200 mm (47 inches).
Cantabria is the richest region in the world for archaeological sites from the Upper Paleolithic period, although the first signs of human occupation date from Lower Paleolithic. The most significant site for cave paintings is that in the cave of Altamira, dating from about 16,000 to 9000 BC and declared, along with nine other Cantabrian caves, as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
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Carche
El Carche is a mountainous, sparsely populated area in Region of Murcia, Spain, lying between the municipalities Jumilla and Yecla. The mountains reach an altitude of 1,371 metres at the Pico de la Madama and part of the region has the status of regional park. Three villages border the park: Raspay, La Alberquilla, and Carche with a total of 182 inhabitants (2005).
The name also refers to an extended zone within the Murcian municipalities Yecla, Jumilla and Abanilla with towns in which part of the population speaks Valencian. It covers an area of about 300 square kilometres and has 533 registered citizens (2005).
It is also the name of a hamlet, the largest town in the region in terms of surface area, but the smallest in population.
Following sociolinguistic research carried out by Pere Barnils and Antoni Griera, who published their results in Dialectes Catalans (1919), El valencià (1921), and in Butlletí de Dialectología Catalana VII, El Carche became known for the first time as an area where Valencian was spoken.
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Carthage
Carthage (Latin: Carthago or Karthago, Ancient Greek: Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Arabic: قرطاج Qarṭāj, Berber: ⴽⴰⵔⵜⴰⵊⴻⵏ Kartajen, Etruscan: *Carθaza, Modern Hebrew: קרתגו Qartágo, from the Phoenician Qart-ḥadašt meaning New City (Aramaic: קרתא חדאתא, Qarta Ḥdatha), implying it was a 'new Tyre', is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC. It is currently a suburb of Tunis, Tunisia, with a population of 20,715 (2004 Census).
The first civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic (a form of the word "Phoenician") or Carthaginian. The city of Carthage is located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the centre of Tunis. According to Greek historians it was founded by Canaanite-speaking Phoenician colonists from Tyre (in modern Lebanon) under the leadership of Elissa who was renamed (Queen Dido) in Virgil's Aeneid. It became a large and rich city and thus a major power in the Mediterranean. The resulting rivalry with Syracuse, Numidia, and Rome was accompanied by several wars with respective invasions of each other's homeland.
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Castile and León
Castile and León (English /kæˈstiːl ən leɪˈoʊn/; Spanish: Castilla y León [kasˈtiʎa i leˈon] ( listen); Leonese: Castiella y Llión [kasˈtjeʎa i ʎiˈoŋ]; Galician: Castela e León [kasˈtɛla e leˈoŋ]) is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile (Spanish: Castilla la Vieja). It is the largest autonomous community in Spain, covering an area of 94,223 square kilometres (36,380 sq mi) with an official population of around 2.5 million (2005).
The organic law of Castile and León, under the Spanish Constitution of 1978, is the region's Statute of Autonomy. The statute lays out the basic laws of the region and defines a series of essential values and symbols of the inhabitants of Castile and León, such as their linguistic patrimony (the Castilian language, which English speakers commonly refer to simply as Spanish, as well as Leonese and Galician), as well as their historic, artistic, and natural patrimony. Other symbols alluded to are the coat of arms, flag, and banner; there is also allusion to a regional anthem, though as of 2009 none has been adopted. April 23 is designated Castile and León Day, commemorating the defeat of the comuneros at the Battle of Villalar during the Revolt of the Comuneros, in 1521.
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Catalonia
Catalonia (English /kætəˈloʊniə/, /kætəˈloʊnjə/; Catalan: Catalunya [kətəˈɫuɲə] or [kataˈluɲa]; Spanish: Cataluña [kataˈluɲa]; Occitan: Catalonha [kataˈluɲɔ]) is an autonomous region of Spain in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, with the official status of a "nationality". Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona which is the second largest Spanish city by population after Madrid. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an official population of 7,535,251. Its borders essentially reflect those of the former Principality of Catalonia. It borders France and Andorra to the north, Aragon to the west, the Valencian Community to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east (580 km coastline). The official languages are Catalan, Spanish and Aranese (Occitan).
The name Catalunya (Catalonia) began to be used in the late 11th century in reference to the group of counties that comprised the Marca Hispanica. The origin of the term is subject to diverse interpretations. A theory suggests that Catalunya derives from the term "Land of Castles", having evolved from the term castlà, the ruler of a castle (see castellan). This theory therefore suggests that the names Castile and Catalonia have the same etymology.
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Ceuta
Ceuta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈθeuta]) is an 18.5-square-kilometre (7.1 sq mi) autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. After Spain returned Ifni to Morocco in 1969, Ceuta and Melilla remained the sole Spanish enclave territories within mainland Africa. Ceuta was deemed a part of Cadiz province prior to 14 March 1995, when the city's Statute of Autonomy was passed.
Ceuta (like Melilla) was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of 2011, it has a population of 78,674. Its population consists of Christians, Muslims (chiefly Moroccan Arabic speakers), and small minorities of Jews and Hindus. Spanish is the official language.
Morocco had previously called for negotiations on the future of Ceuta, Melilla and a number of Mediterranean islands and enclaves that border it. The majority of the city's population are ethnic Spanish who are opposed to the idea of being ruled by Morocco. A poll conducted by Instituto Opina found that 87.9% of people from mainland Spain consider the two cities to be Spanish.
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Chafarinas Islands
The Chafarinas Islands (Spanish: Islas Chafarinas, Berber: Igumamen Iceffaren or Takfarinas, Arabic: جزر الشفارين or الجزر الجعفرية), also spelled Zafarin, Djaferin or Zafarani, are a group of three small islets located in the Alboran Sea off the coast of Morocco with an aggregate area of 0.525 km², 45 km to the east of Nador and 3.3 km off the Moroccan town of Ras Elma.
The Chafarinas Islands are one of the Spanish ruled territories on North Africa off the Moroccan coast known as plazas de soberanía. The islands are generally considered as part of the historical land of the Berber people in North Africa.
The Chafarinas Islands are made up of three islands (with areas in hectares):
Under Spanish control since 1847, there is a 190-man military garrison on Isla Isabel II, the only stable population on the small archipelago, down from 426 people in 1900 and 736 people in 1910.
The islands had a certain relevance in Spanish environmentalist circles during the 1980s and 1990s as the very last individual of Mediterranean Monk Seal in Spanish territory lived there, until it disappeared in the 1990s.
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Community of Madrid
The Community of Madrid (English /kɵˈmjuːnɨti əv məˈdrɪd/; Spanish: Comunidad de Madrid [komuniˈðað ðe maˈðɾið]) is one of the seventeen autonomous communities (regions) of Spain. It is located at the centre of the country, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Castilian Central Plateau (Meseta Central). It is conterminous with the province of Madrid, making it "uniprovincial," or a community with only one province. Its capital is the city of Madrid, which is also the national capital of Spain. It is bounded to the south and east by Castile–La Mancha and to the north and west by Castile and León. It has a population of 6,369,167 (2011) mostly concentrated at the metropolitan area of Madrid.
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Corsica
Corsica ( /ˈkɔːrsɪkə/; French: Corse, IPA: [kɔʁs]; Corsican: Corsica; Italian: Corsica, IPA: [ˈkɔrsika]) is a French island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the Italian island of Sardinia. Mountains comprise two-thirds of the island, forming a single chain.
Corsica is one of the 27 régions of France, although strictly speaking Corsica is designated as a territorial collectivity (collectivité territoriale) by law. As a territorial collectivity, it enjoys greater powers than other French régions, but for the most part its status is quite similar. Corsica is referred to as a "région" in common speech, and is almost always listed among the other régions of France.
Although the island is separated from the continental mainland by the Ligurian Sea and is closer to Italy than to the French mainland, politically Corsica is part of Metropolitan France. It was once briefly an independent Corsican Republic, until being incorporated into France in 1769. Its culture has French and Italian elements blended into it.
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Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne. It continued to exist as a separate entity after the personal union of the crowns of Castile and Aragon with the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs in 1469 and wasn't formally abolished until the unification policies of Philip V of Spain in the early 18th century. During its existence, the Spanish colonies in the Americas and the Philippines were also considered part of the Crown of Castile.
The Kingdom of León arose out of the Kingdom of Asturias. The Kingdom of Castile appeared initially as a county of the Kingdom of León. From the second half of the 10th century to the first half of the 11th century it changed hands between León and the Kingdom of Navarre. In the 11th century it became a kingdom in its own right.
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Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica ( /saɪrɨˈneɪ.ɨkə/ SY-rə-NAY-ə-kə; Ancient Greek: Κυρηναϊκή, after the city of Cyrene; Arabic: برقة Barqah; Berber: Berqa) is the historical name of the eastern region in Libya, which self-declared autonomy. In a tribal meeting the National Federal Bloc party declared Cyrenaica as self-autonomous region, but no actual authority has been observed on the ground, as the National Transitional Council still the defacto authority in all of Libya. Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca. During the Islamic period, the area came to be known as Barqa, after the city of Barca.
Cyrenaica was the name of an administrative division of Italian Libya from 1927 through 1943, then under British military and civil administration from 1943 through 1951, and finally in the Kingdom of Libya from 1951 through 1963. In a wider sense, which is still used, Cyrenaica is composed of all of the eastern part of Libya, including the Kufra District. Cyrenaica is adjacent to Tripolitania in the northwest and Fezzan in the southwest. The region that used to be Cyrenaica officially through 1963 is now divided up into several shabiyat, the administrative divisions of Libya.
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Dragonera
Sa Dragonera (Catalan pronunciation: [sə ðɾəɣoˈneɾə]) is an uninhabited islet in the Balearic Islands, Spain, located just off the west coast of Majorca. It is currently a natural park.
Geologically speaking, Dragonera is an emerged part of the geologic system running southwest-northeast in the Iberian Peninsula. This runs from the Málaga province through Cap de la Nau and then gets submerged under the Mediterranean Sea. It surfaces again to form the island of Ibiza, the Tramuntana Range in the island of Majorca and Sa Dragonera itself. The silhouette of the mountain range looks like a dragon, hence its name.
Sa Dragonera is approximately 3,200 metres in length and has a maximum width of 500 mts. Despite its highest hill Pico Popi is a mere 360 mts high, the overall of the island's relief is very abrupt, especially considered its reduced dimensions, which made the islet of little importance in historic times.
The island is a part of the municipality of Andratx, which is, along with Sant Elm (both in nearby Majorca), the closest towns to the island.
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Extremadura
Extremadura (English /ˌɛkstrɨməˈdʊrə/; Spanish: [e(k)stɾemaˈðuɾa]; Extremaduran: Estremaura [estɾemaˈuɾa]) is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west. To the north it borders Castile and León (provinces of Salamanca and Ávila); to the south, it borders Andalusia (provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Córdoba); and to the east, it borders Castile–La Mancha (provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real)
It is an important area for wildlife, particularly with the major reserve at Monfragüe, which was designated a National Park in 2007, and the project of the International Tagus River Natural Park (Terreno Natural Río Tajo Internacional). The government of Extremadura is called Junta de Extremadura. Extremadura is known because many of the conquerors of the New World were born there. Francisco Pizarro and Hernán Cortes were second cousins and both were born in Extremadura. Pizarro conquered the Incan Empire and Cortes conquered Mexico. Many other conquistadors were born in Extremadura.
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Flanders
Flanders (Dutch: Vlaanderen (help·info)) is the (political) community of the Flemings, one of the communities of Belgium, and also a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
"Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. Over the course of history, the geographical territory that was called "Flanders" has varied. In the second half of the twentieth century, there has been a gradual shift of political and economic power from French-speaking Wallonia (which was industrialized earlier) to the Flemish.
To the English-speaking peoples, Flanders meant historically (from circa 1000 AD) the land situated along the North Sea from the Strait of Dover to the Scheldt estuary. The southern borders were generally ill-defined. Over the last millennium, it was mostly the southern and western borders that receded to give the present day borders within northern Belgium.
Flanders has figured prominently in European history. Between the early 17th century and 1945, the political outcomes of modern Spain, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria were often decided by battles on the plains of Flanders. Even earlier in British and Irish history, the Flemings (or Flemish) were important allies of the Normans in their conquest of England (1066) and invasion of Ireland (1169–71).
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Florence
Florence (Italian: Firenze [fiˈrɛntse] ( listen), alternate obsolete form: Fiorenza; Latin: Florentia) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.
Florence is famous for its history. A centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages. A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy.
The historic centre of Florence attracts millions of tourists each year, and Euromonitor International ranked the city as the world's 72nd most visited in 2009, with 1,685,000 visitors. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Due to Florence's artistic and architectural heritage, it has been ranked by Forbes as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and the city is noted for its history, culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace, amongst others, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics.
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Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( /dʒɨˈbrɒltər/) is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. It has an area of 6.8 square kilometres (2.6 sq mi) and a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region. At its foot is the densely populated city area, home to almost 30,000 Gibraltarians and other nationalities.
An Anglo-Dutch force captured Gibraltar from Spain in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. The territory was subsequently ceded to Britain "in perpetuity" under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. It was an important base for the Royal Navy; today its economy is based largely on tourism, financial services, and shipping.
The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations as Spain asserts a claim to the territory. Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and again in 2002. Under the Gibraltar constitution of 2006, Gibraltar governs its own affairs, though some powers, such as defence and foreign relations, remain the responsibility of the UK Government.
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Gipuzkoa
Gipuzkoa (in Basque and officially, in Spanish Guipúzcoa but since 2011 also officially written Gipuzkoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. It limits with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques at the northeast, with the province and autonomous community of Navarre at east, Biscay at west, Álava at southwest and the Bay of Biscay at north. It is located at the easternmost extreme of the Cantabric Sea, in the Bay of Biscay. It has 66 km of coast land.
Its total area of 1.909 km2 makes it the smallest province of Spain. The province has 88 municipalities and a population of 705.698 inhabitants, from which more than half live in the Donostia-San Sebastián metropolian area. Apart from the capital, other important cities are Irun, Errenteria, Zarautz, Mondragón, Eibar, Hondarribia, Oñati, Tolosa, Beasain and Pasaia.
Its oceanic climate gives the province an intense green color with little thermic oscilation. Guipuscoa is the province of the Basque Country where the Basque language is the most extended.
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Gymnesian Islands
The collective name of the Gymnesian Islands (Catalan: Illes Gimnèsies, IPA: [ˈiʎəz ʒimˈnɛziəs]; Spanish: Islas Gimnesias) or Gymnesic Islands (Catalan: Illes Gimnèsiques) distinguishes the two largest (and easternmost) Balearic islands (Majorca and Minorca), from the Pine Islands (Catalan Illes Pitiüses; Spanish Islas Pitiusas: Ibiza and Formentera).
The word Gymnesian (from the Greek γυμνήτες gymnetes) means "naked". The Ancient Greeks recruited the local inhabitants of these islands, the Talayotics, as slingers. According to some researchers, this does not mean that they fought naked, but that they used much lighter armament than the hoplites.
Later the Phoenicians referred to both Majorca and Minorca as the Baliarides. After the whole archipelago (the Pitiusas and Gymnesias) came under Roman rule, the islands gained the overall Latin name insulae baliares or Baleares insulae; and the collective concept has continued in use in modern languages, hence ultimately the English name "Balearic islands".
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Hispania
Hispania was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. During the Principate, Hispania Ulterior was divided into two new provinces, Baetica and Lusitania, while Hispania Citerior was renamed Tarraconensis. Subsequently, the western part of Tarraconensis was split off, first as Hispania Nova, later renamed Callaecia (or Gallaecia, whence modern Galicia). From Diocletian's Tetrarchy (AD 284) onwards, the south of remaining Tarraconensis was again split off as Carthaginensis, and probably then too the Balearic Islands and all the resulting provinces formed one civil diocese under the vicarius for the Hispaniae (that is, the Celtic provinces). The name, Hispania, was also used in the period of Visigothic rule. The modern name Spain derives from Hispania.
The origin of the word Hispania is much disputed and the evidence for the various speculations are based merely upon what are at best mere resemblances, likely to be accidental, and suspect supporting evidence. One theory holds it to be of Punic derivation, from the Phoenician language of colonizing Carthage. Specifically, it may derive from a Punic cognate of Hebrew אי-שפניא (i-shfania) meaning "Island of the Hyrax" or "island of the hare" or "island of the rabbit" (Phoenician-Punic and Hebrew are both Canaanite languages and therefore closely related to each other). Another theory, proposed by the etymologist Eric Partridge in his work Origins, is that it is of Iberian derivation and that it is to be found in the pre-Roman name for Seville, Hispalis, which strongly hints at an ancient name for the country of *Hispa, an Iberian or Celtic root whose meaning is now lost. It may alternatively derive from Heliopolis (Greek for "city of the sun"). Occasionally it was called Hesperia, the western land, by Roman writers, or Hesperia ultima.
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Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (Asturian, Galician, Leonese, Mirandese, Portuguese and Spanish: Península Ibérica, Catalan: Península Ibèrica, Aragonese and Occitan: Peninsula Iberica, French: Péninsule Ibérique, Basque: Iberiar Penintsula), sometimes called Iberia, is a peninsula located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is the westernmost of the three major southern European peninsulas—the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas. It is bordered on the southeast and east by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the north, west and southwest by the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees form the northeast edge of the peninsula, separating it from the rest of Europe. In the south, it approaches the northern coast of Africa. It is the second-largest peninsula in Europe, with an area of approximately 582,000 km2 (225,000 sq mi).
The English word Iberia was adapted from the use of the Ancient Greek word Ιβηρία (Ibēría) by the Greek geographers under the Roman Empire to refer to what is known today in English as the Iberian Peninsula. At that time the name did not describe a single political entity or a distinct population of people. Strabo's Iberia was delineated from Keltikē by the Pyrenees and included the entire land mass south-west (he named it "west") of there.
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Ibiza Town
Ibiza Town (Catalan: Eivissa [əjˈvisə]; Spanish: Ibiza) is a city and municipality located on the southeast coast of the island of Ibiza in the Balearic Islands autonomous community. Although called Ibiza in English and Spanish, the official name is in Catalan Eivissa (as restored in 1986) and its inhabitants call it Vila d'Eivissa or simply Vila ("Town"). It's divided into two main parts: the old town, called Dalt Vila (literally "Upper Town"), located in the little mountain by the sea, and the modern part, called Eixample ("extension").
Sights include the cathedral of Santa Maria d'Eivissa (14th century), located on the top of Dalt Vila, and the Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins.
The city, which has a population of 48,484 (2009), is the capital and most populous settlement of the island and of the Pine Islands group, which includes Ibiza and Formentera.
It is widely known for its nightlife. Two of the island's most luxurious nightclubs, Pacha and El Divino, are located in Ibiza Town itself whereas Space is located just south of the town, near the airport.
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Ifriqiya
In medieval history, Ifriqiya or Ifriqiyah (Arabic: إفريقية Ifrīqiya) was the area comprising the coastal regions of what are today western Libya, Tunisia, and eastern Algeria. This area included what had been the Roman province of Africa, whose name it inherited.
Ifriqiya was bounded on the south by the semi-arid areas and salt marshes called el-Djerid. At various times, the rulers of this area also conquered Sicily, and the western boundary was in continual flux but usually went as far as Bejaia. Its capital was Qayrawan (Kairouan) in central Tunisia.
Arabic Thought and its Place in History, De Lacy O'Leary, London: Kegan, Paul [1922], p. 227-8 says: "Gradually the Arabs spread all along North Africa and down to the desert edge, their tribes as a rule occupying the lower ground, whilst the older population had its chief centres in the mountainous districts. During the invasion of 45 (A.H.) the city of Kairouan (Qairouan, Qayrawan) was founded some distance south of Tunis. The site was badly chosen, and is now marked only by ruins and a scanty village, but for some centuries it served as the capital city of Ifrikiya, which was the name given to the province lying next to Egypt, embracing the modern states of Tripoli, Tunis, and the eastern part of Algeria up to the meridian of Bougie."
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Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon (Aragonese: Reino d'Aragón, Catalan: Regne d'Aragó, Latin: Regnum Aragonum, Spanish: Reino de Aragón) was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain. It should not be confused with the larger Crown of Aragon, of which the Kingdom of Aragon became a member along with other territories such as the Kingdom of Valencia or the County of Provence, all of them under the rule of the King of Aragon.
This kingdom was originally a Frankish feudal county around the city of Jaca, which in the first half of the 8th century became a vassal state of the kingdom of Pamplona (later Navarre), its own dynasty of counts ending without male heir in 922.
On the death of Sancho III of Navarre in 1035, the Kingdom of Navarre was divided in to three parts: (1) Navarre with some Basque lands, (2) Castile and (3) Sobrarbe, Ribagorza and Aragon. As the most important Christian monarch in Iberia and the King of All Spain, each of his three lands were converted into a Kingdom. Sancho's son Gonzalo inherited Sobrarbe and Ribargorza, but Gonzalo was killed soon after and all the land he owned went to his illegitimate brother Ramiro, creating the future Kingdom of Aragon.
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Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal (Portuguese: Reino de Portugal, Latin: Regnum Portugalliae), or the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves (Portuguese: Reino de Portugal e dos Algarves,Latin: Regnum Portugalliae et Algarbia), was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910. It was replaced by the Portuguese First Republic after the 5 October 1910 revolution.
The Kingdom of Portugal finds its origins in the County of Portugal (1093–1139). The Portuguese County was a semi-autonomous county of the Kingdom of Leon. Independence from Leon took place in three stages:
Once Portugal was independent, D. Afonso I's descendants, members of the Portuguese House of Burgundy, would rule Portugal until 1383. Even after the change in royal houses, all the monarchs of Portugal were descended from Afonso I, one way or another, through both legitimate and illegitimate links.
With the turn of the twentieth century, republicanism would grow in numbers and support. This height of support for the republican cause would lead to the Lisbon Regicide on February 1, 1908. When returning from the Ducal Palace at Vila Viçosa, King Carlos I and the Prince Royal Luis Filipe were killed in the Terreiro do Paço, in Lisbon. With the death of the king and his heir, Carlos I's second son would become king as King Manuel II of Portugal. Manuel's reign, however, would be short and would end with the 5 October 1910 revolution, which sent Manuel into exile in England and would start the Portuguese First Republic.
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Lucca
Lucca listen (help·info) is a city and comune in Tuscany, the north-west of Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca. Among other reasons, it is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro. Lucca was the site of a conference in 56 BC which reaffirmed the supremacy of the Roman First Triumvirate.
Frediano, an Irish monk, was bishop of Lucca in the early 6th century. At one point, Lucca was plundered by Odoacer, the first Germanic King of Italy. Lucca was an important city and fortress even in the 6th century, when Narses besieged it for several months in 553. Under the Lombards, it was the seat of a duke who minted his own coins. The Holy Face of Lucca (or Volto Santo), a major relic supposedly carved by Nicodemus, arrived in 742. It became prosperous through the silk trade that began in the 11th century, and came to rival the silks of Byzantium. During the 10-11th centuries Lucca was the capital of the feudal margraviate of Tuscany, more or less independent but owing nominal allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor.
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Lusitania
Lusitania (Portuguese: Lusitânia, Spanish: Lusitania) or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain (the present autonomous community of Extremadura and a small part of the province of Salamanca). It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people (an Indo-European people). Its capital was Emerita Augusta (currently Mérida, Spain), and it was initially part of the Roman Republic province of Hispania Ulterior, before becoming a province of its own in the Roman Empire.
The etymology of the origin of the Lusitani who gave the province their name, is unclear. The name may be of Celtic origin: Lus and Tanus, "tribe of Lusus", connecting the name with the personal Celtic name Luso and with the god Lugh.
Early modern scholars derived the name from Lucis, an ancient people mentioned in Avienus' Ora Maritima and Tan, from Celtic Tan (Stan), or Tain, meaning a region or implying a country of waters, a root word that formerly meant a prince or sovereign governor of a region. The name has been connected with the personal Celtic name Luso and with the god Lugh.
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Lycia
Lycia ( /ˈlɪʃə/;Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 Trm̃mis; Greek: Λυκία) was a geopolitical region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey, and Burdur Province inland. Known to history since the records of ancient Egypt and the Hittite Empire in the Late Bronze Age, it was populated by speakers of the Luwian language group. Written records began to be inscribed in stone in the Lycian language (a later form of Luwian) after Lycia's involuntary incorporation into the Achaemenid Empire in the Iron Age. At that time (546 BC) the Luwian speakers were decimated, and Lycia received an influx of Iranian speakers.
Lycia fought for the Persians in the Persian Wars, but on the defeat of the Achaemenid Empire by the Greeks, it became intermittently a free agent. After a brief membership in the Athenian Empire, it seceded and became independent (its treaty with Athens had omitted the usual non-secession clause), was under the Persians again, revolted again, was conquered by Maussollus of Caria, returned to the Persians, and went under Macedonian hegemony at the defeat of the Persians by Alexander the Great. Due to the influx of Greek speakers and the sparsity of the remaining Lycian speakers, Lycia was totally Hellenized under the Macedonians. The Lycian language disappeared from inscriptions and coinage.
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Melilla
Melilla (Spanish pronunciation: [meˈliʎa]) is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco, with an area of 12.3 square kilometres (4.7 sq mi). Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa. It was regarded as a part of Málaga province prior to 14 March 1995, when the city's Statute of Autonomy was passed.
Melilla (like Ceuta) was a free port before Spain joined the European Union. As of 2008 it has a population of 73,460. Its population consists of Christians, Muslims (chiefly Riffians), and small minorities of Jews. Both Spanish and Tarifit are widely spoken. Spanish is the only official language, while there have been calls to recognise Tamazight, a standardized version of all Berber languages official in Morocco, as well.
Morocco had previously called for negotiations on the future of Melilla, Ceuta and a number of Mediterranean islands which border it. The majority of the city's population are ethnic Spanish who are opposed to the idea of being a part of Morocco. A poll conducted by Instituto Opina found that 87.9% of people from mainland Spain consider the two cities to be Spanish.
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Montpellier
Coordinates: 43°36′43″N 3°52′38″E / 43.6119°N 3.8772°E / 43.6119; 3.8772
Montpellier (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃.pe.lje]; Occitan: Montpelhièr; Catalan: Montpeller) is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, as well as the Hérault department. Montpellier is the 8th largest city of the country, and is also the fastest growing city in France over the past 25 years.
Montpellier is one of the few large cities in France without any (Gallo-)Roman heritage and also one of the few cities in southern France without a Greek foundation.
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Navarre
Navarre (English /nəˈvɑr/; Spanish: Navarra; Basque: Nafarroa), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre (Spanish: Comunidad Foral de Navarra [komuniˈðað foˈɾal de naˈβara]; Basque: Nafarroako Foru Erkidegoa [nafaroako foɾu erkidegoa]), is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France. The capital is the city of Pamplona (or Iruña in Basque).
During the time of the Roman Empire, the territory of the province was inhabited by the Vascones, a pre-Roman tribe who populated the southern slopes of the Pyrenees. In the northern, mountaineous areas the Vascones escaped large-scale Roman settlement but not so in the flatter areas to the south which were amenable to large-scale Roman farming.
The area was never fully subjugated either by the Visigoths or by the Moors. In AD 778, the Basques defeated a Frankish army in the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. Two generations later, in 824, the chieftain Iñigo Arista was chosen King of Pamplona, laying a foundation for the later Kingdom of Navarre. That kingdom reached its zenith during the reign of Sancho III of Navarre and covered the area of the present-day Navarre, Basque country, and La Rioja, together with parts of modern Cantabria, Castile and León, and Aragon.
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Northern Catalonia
Northern Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya Nord, French: Catalogne Nord, IPA: [kətəˈɫuɲə ˈnɔrt]) is a term that is sometimes used, particularly in Catalan writings, to refer to the territory ceded to France by Spain through the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. The area corresponds approximately to the modern French département of the Pyrénées-Orientales.
The equivalent term in French, Catalogne Nord, is used nowadays, although less often than the more politically neutral Roussillon (in reference to the pre-Revolutionary province). Sometimes French Catalonia can also be used.
Northern Catalonia forms a triangle between the Pyrenees to the south, the Corbières to the north-west and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The Roussillon plain in the east, by far the most populated area, is formed by the flood plains of the Tech, Têt and Agly rivers (Catalan: Tec, Tet, Aglí). The districts of Vallespir and Conflent cover the upper valleys of the Tech and the Têt respectively. The massif of the Canigou (Catalan: Canigó), 2785 m, dominates much of the territory.
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Països Catalans
The Catalan term Països Catalans (Eastern Catalan: [pəˈizus kətəˈɫans], Western Catalan: [paˈizos kataˈlans]; English: Catalan Countries) refers to the territories where the Catalan language is spoken.
The first mentions of the term date back to the late 19th century, but it never surpassed the limits of a small circle of Catalan authors[citation needed] until its strictly cultural dimension became increasingly politically charged by the late 1960s and early 1970s, as Francoism began to die out in Spain. Thus, what had remained to date as a cultural term restricted to connoisseurs of Catalan philology, then rose to prominence and became highly controversial during the Spanish Transition period, most acrimoniously in Valencia during the 1980s.
The Països Catalans do not have any legal entity nor is there any universal territorial definition of the scope covered by this concept. It may refer strictly to the territories in which the different varieties of Catalan are traditionally spoken, or it may be extended to the entire political entities in which Catalan has some official status, in spite of the fact that those entities include areas where Catalan is not spoken (the map to the right covers this latter usage).
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Peñón de Alhucemas
Peñón de Alhucemas (Spanish pronunciation: [peˈɲon de aluˈθemas], "Lavender Rock") is one of the Spanish plazas de soberanía just off the Moroccan coast in the Alboran Sea. It is also one of several peñones, or rock-fortresses, on the coast of Northern Africa.
Peñón de Alhucemas and the islets of "Isla de Mar" and "Isla de Tierra" slightly to the west form the Alhucemas Islands. They are located 300 m (984 feet) off the Moroccan town of Al Hoceima, or Alhucemas (former Villa Sanjurjo), 146 km (96 mi) east of Ceuta and 84 km (62 mi) west of Melilla.
Peñón de Alhucemas is a tiny rock island, measuring 220 meters east-west and up to 84 meters north-south, with an area 1.5 ha or 0.015 km², and a height of 27 meters (88 ft). The rock is entirely occupied by a fort, several houses, and a church.
Isla de Tierra is a steep, 11 m (33 ft) high rocky platform, 114 meters north of the Moroccan beach, 192 meters long northeast-southwest, and up to 87 meters wide, yielding an area of 1.7 ha or 0.017 km².
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Pisa
Pisa ( /ˈpiːzə/; Italian pronunciation: [ˈpiːsa]) is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower (the bell tower of the city's cathedral), the city of over 88,332 residents (around 200,000 with the metropolitan area) contains more than 20 other historic churches, several palaces and various bridges across the River Arno.
The city is also home of the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century and also has the mythic Napoleonic Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies as the best Superior Graduate Schools in Italy.
Pisa lies at the junction of two rivers, the Arno and the Serchio, which form a laguna at the Tyrrhenian Sea. The origin of the name, Pisa, is a mystery. While the origin of the city had remained unknown for centuries, the Pelasgi, the Greeks, the Etruscans, and the Ligurians had variously been proposed as founders of the city. Archaeological remains from the 5th century BC confirmed the existence of a city at the sea, trading with Greeks and Gauls. The presence of an Etruscan necropolis, discovered during excavations in the Arena Garibaldi in 1991, confirmed its Etruscan origins.
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Pistoia
Pistoia listen (help·info) is a city and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno.
Pistoria (in Latin other possible spellings are Pistorium or Pistoriae) was centre of Gallic, Ligurian and Etruscan settlements before becoming a Roman colony in the 6th century BC, along the important road Via Cassia: in 62 BC the demagogue Catiline and his fellow conspirators were slain nearby. From the 5th century the city was a bishopric, and during the Lombardic kingdom it was a royal city and had several privileges. Pistoia's most splendid age began in 1177 when it proclaimed itself a free commune: in the following years it became an important political centre, erecting walls and several public and religious buildings.
In 1254 the Ghibelline Pistoia was taken over by Guelph Florence, but supposedly resulted in the division of the Guelphs into "Black" and "White" factions. Pistoia remained a Florentine holding except for a brief period in the 14th century, when Castruccio Castracani captured it for Lucca, and was officially annexed to Florence in 1530. During the 14th century Ormanno Tedici was one of the Lords of the city.
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Pollença
Pollença (Catalan pronunciation: [poˈʎɛnsə]) is a town and municipality situated in the far north corner of the island of Majorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. It lies about 6 km west of its port, Port de Pollença.
The name "Pollença" comes from the name of the Roman settlement of "Pollentia," the excavated remains of which lie several kilometers away in the modern municipality of Alcúdia. It was founded by the Catalans in the 13th century around 6 km from the coast in an effort to avoid pirate attacks.
Most houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and many streets are very narrow and compact, a leftover from the medieval era. The central square, called Plaça Major, has numerous outdoor cafés and is dominated by a large 13th century church Esglèsia de Nostra Senyora dels Àngels (Our Lady of the Angels) which was built by the Knights Templar.
One of the town's most distinctive features is the 365-step stairway north of the square; this leads up to a chapel on top of the hill known as Calvary. On Good Friday this is the setting for the most dramatic parade of the year. First, on the road winding up the back of the hill, there is an enactment of the Stations of the Cross. This is followed by a mock crucifixion on top of the hill after which the figure of Christ is ceremonially removed from the Cross. There is a sombre, torchlit parading of the body of Christ through the town it is led by hundreds people in cloaks, masks and pointed hats and done in total silence save for the slow beating of a drum.
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Port de Sóller
Port de Sóller (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈpɔrd də ˈsoʎə]) is a village and the port of the town of Sóller, in Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Along with the village of Fornalutx and the hamlet of Biniaraix they combine to form Sóller. The combined population is around 12,000. A tramway links the inland town of Sóller to Port de Sóller, running along the beach-side road.
The resort consists of shops, restaurants and bars but is quiet and away from the major tourist areas such as Magaluf on the south of the island. There are a few large holiday hotels such as Hotel Eden, Hotel Esplendido and Aimia Hotel, located on the road that runs around the bay.
Two lighthouses sit on the headlands on either side of the bay, La Badia de Sóller. Development on the east headland has been prevented by the area being used as a training ground by the Spanish Army. The beach was recovered in sand for the summer of 2009 because, whilst clean, it had become rather muddy and inhospitable. The bay and the estuary of the river which comes to an end here attract little egrets, Muscovy ducks, huge flocks of herring gulls, Greylag geese and Mallard ducks. The diversity of breeds in the duck and geese population suggests that most of the original birds had escaped from captivity.
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Port Mahon
Mahon (Catalan: Maó [məˈo], Spanish: Mahón [maˈon]), conventionally known as Port Mahon in English, is a municipality and the capital of Minorca, located in the eastern part of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, Spain. Mahon has the second deepest natural harbour in the world: 5 km long and up to 900 metres wide. The water is deep but it remains mostly clear due to it being slightly enclosed.
Its population in 2009 was estimated to be 29,495 inhabitants.
The name's origin is attributed to the Carthaginian general Mago Barca, brother to Hannibal, who is thought to have taken refuge there in 205 BC. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was part of the Byzantine Empire; it suffered raids from Viking and Arabs, until the Islamic Caliphate of Córdoba conquered it in 903.
Mahon was captured in 1287 from the Moors by Alfonso III of Aragon and incorporated into the Kingdom of Majorca, a vassal kingdom of the Kingdom of Aragon. Its harbour, one of the most strategically important in the western Mediterranean, was re-fortified.
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Porto Torres
Porto Torres (Sassarese: Posthudorra, Sardinian: Pòrtu Turre) is a comune and city in northern Sardinia, in the Province of Sassari.
It is situated on the north coast about 25 km east of the Gorditanian promontory (Capo del Falcone), and on the spacious bay of the Gulf of Asinara.
In ancient times, Turris Libyssonis was one of the most considerable cities in Sardinia. It was probably of purely Roman origin, founded apparently by Julius Caesar, as it bore the title Colonia Julia. Pliny described it as a colony, the only on the island in his time, suggesting that there was previously no town on the spot, but merely a fort or castellum. It is noticed also by Ptolemy and in the Itineraries, but without any indication that it was a place of any importance.
The ancient remains still existing prove that it must have been a considerable town under the Roman Empire. According from the inscriptions on ancient milestones, the principal road through the island ran directly from Caralis (Cagliari) to Turris, a sufficient proof that the latter was a place much frequented. Indeed, two roads, which diverged at Othoca (modern Santa Giusta) connected Caralis to Turris, the more important keeping inland and the other following the west coast. It was also an episcopal see during the early part of the Middle Ages.
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Province of A Coruña
The province of A Coruña (also: Spanish: La Coruña, pronounced: [la koˈɾuɲa], and Corunna in English) is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia. This province is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and North, Pontevedra Province to the South and the Lugo Province to the East.
The history of this province starts at the end of the Middle Ages during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. During those years this province was far smaller than today. This is because in the 1833 territorial division of Spain the entire Province of Betanzos together with half of the Mondoñedo were amalgamated into one single province with its capital city in A Coruña. That was going to be the beginning of a love hate relationship between the major cities caught in between: Ferrol, Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña. Due to this unusual situation, the dioceses of these parts of Galicia do not match any longer with the administrative divisions. In addition, the capital city of the province has never had a cathedral, but both Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela have one. The City of Santiago de Compostela is not the provincial capital, but has always been the capital of Galicia and historically a rival to Toledo for being the most important city in Spain ecclesiastically speaking.
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Province of Albacete
Albacete is a province of central Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Granada, Murcia, Alicante, Valencia, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Jaén.
Albacete has a population of 400,891 (2009). Its capital is Albacete. Other important towns (with more than 10,000 inhabitants) are: Hellín, Villarrobledo, Almansa, La Roda and Caudete.
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Province of Alicante
Alicante (Spanish: [aliˈkante]) or Alacant (Valencian: [alaˈkant]) is a province of eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia on the southwest, Albacete on the west, Valencia on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the east. The province is named after its capital, the city of Alicante.
According to the 2009 population data, Alicante ranks as the 4th most populous province in Spain (after Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia), with 1,917,012 inhabitants. Cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants in the province are Alicante (334,757 inhabitants), Elx/Elche (230,112), Torrevieja (101,792), Orihuela (86,164), Benidorm (71,034), Alcoi (61,552), Elda (55,168), and San Vicente del Raspeig (53,126).
The province has the largest ratio of foreigner population among all Spanish provinces. The total of 446,368 foreigners are registered in the province, which represents 23.6 percent of the total population. Out of 141 municipalities that make up the province, foreign population is above 25% in 54 municipalities, and above 50% in 19 municipalities. The latter include San Fulgencio (80%), Rojales (74%), Benitatxell (69.8%), Algorfa (69.7%), Llíber (67%), Teulada (65.5%), Daya Vieja (64.4%); San Miguel de Salinas (64.3%), Calp (62.8%), Els Poblets (61.6%), Alcalalí (60.8%), Benijófar (58.5%), L'Alfàs del Pi (56.6%), Orba (55%), Xàbia (54%), Torrevieja (53.5%), Murla (52%), Fondó (51.7%), and Benidoleig (50%).
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Province of Almería
Almería is a province of the Autonomous Community of Andalucia, Spain. It is bordered by the provinces of Granada, Murcia, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Almería.
Its area is 8,769 km². Its population is 546,499 (2002) with a density of 62.32/km². It contains 101 municipalities.
The highest mountain range in the Province of Almería is the 50 km long Sierra de Los Filabres.
One of Europe's driest areas is found in Almería and is part of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park. The semiarid landscape and climate that characterizes part of the province have made it an ideal setting for Western films, especially during the 1960s. Because of the demand for these locations, quite a number of Western towns were built near the [1] Desert of Tabernas. Films such as A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly were shot here. Years later the film of 800 Bullets was filmed in the same place. Large sections of Lawrence of Arabia and Patton were shot there as well.
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Province of Badajoz
The province of Badajoz (pronounced: [baðaˈxoθ]) is a province of western Spain located in the autonomous community of Extremadura. It was formed in 1833. It is bordered by the provinces of Cáceres, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Seville, and Huelva, and by Portugal.
With its area of 21,766 m², it is the largest province in Spain. The other province of Extremadura, Cáceres, is the second largest.
As of 2010[update], the province has a population of 692,137. Its capital is the city of Badajoz. See also List of municipalities in Badajoz.
Although in many districts there are low ranges of hills, the surface is more often a desolate and monotonous plain, flat or slightly undulating. Its one large river is the Guadiana, which traverses the north of the province from east to west, fed by many tributaries; but it is only at certain seasons that the river-beds fill with any considerable volume of water, and the Guadiana may frequently be forded without difficulty. The climate is continental with great extremes of heat in summer and of cold in winter, when fierce north and north-west winds blow across the plains.
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Province of Burgos
The province of Burgos is a province of northern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Palencia, Cantabria, Vizcaya, Álava, La Rioja, Soria, Segovia, and Valladolid. Its capital is the city of Burgos. Since 1964, archeologists have been working at numerous areas of the Archeological Site of Atapuerca, where they have found ancient hominid and human remains, the former dating to more than one million years ago, with artifacts from the Paleolithic and Bronze Ages of man. The site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The province has an area of 14,300 km² and a population of 352,273 (2002), of whom nearly half live in the capital. The only large towns apart from Burgos are Miranda de Ebro and Aranda de Duero. Many of the province's 371 municipalities have fewer than 100 inhabitants. The Sierra de la Demanda, the northwesternmost end of the Sistema Ibérico, is located in Burgos Province.
The most important rivers in the province are the Ebro and the Duero. The river Duero is in the south of the province and leads to the Atlantic Ocean at Porto, Portugal. Planted near it is a notable vineyard, Ribera de Duero. The north and south-east of the province are mountainous. The Ebro flows to the Mediterranean Sea.
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Province of Cáceres
The province of Cáceres (pronounced: [ˈkaθeɾes]) is a province of western Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Extremadura. It is bordered by the provinces of Salamanca, Ávila, Toledo, and Badajoz, and by Portugal.
Its capital is the city of Cáceres. Other cities in the province include Plasencia and Trujillo, the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro González. See also List of municipalities in Cáceres. As of 2009[update], the province had a population of 413,633, of whom some one-fifth live in the capital.
The Province of Cáceres is divided into 219 municipalities:
There are also traditional comarcas in Cáceres Province, like Las Villuercas and Las Hurdes, but these don't have much official recognition.
Coordinates: 39°40′N 6°00′W / 39.667°N 6°W / 39.667; -6
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Province of Cádiz
Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe.
It is bordered by the Spanish provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Málaga, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Its area is 7,442 square kilometers.
Its capital is the city of Cádiz, which has a population of more than 128,000. The largest city is Jerez de la Frontera with 208,896 inhabitants (as of 2010), and another important city is Algeciras with just over 114,000 inhabitants. The entire province had a population of 1,194,062 (as of 2006), of whom about 600,000 live in the Bay of Cádiz area. Its population density is 160.45 per square kilometer.
The province encompasses 44 municipalities; besides its capital, other important cities are Jerez and Algeciras. (See the list of municipalities in Cádiz.) According to a roster developed by the Council of Tourism and Sport of Andalusia on 27 March 2003, there are officially six traditional or touristic comarcas (provincial areas or counties) in the Province of Cádiz:
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Province of Girona
Girona (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒiˈɾonə], Spanish: Gerona) is a province of north-eastern Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. It is bordered by the provinces of Barcelona and Lleida, and by France and the Mediterranean Sea.
731,864 people (2008) live in the province. Its capital is Girona (population 94,484). Towns in Girona include Figueres (pop. 39,641), Blanes (pop. 37,819), Lloret de Mar (pop. 32,728), Olot (31,932), Salt (pop. 28,017), Palafrugell (pop. 21,307) and Sant Feliu de Guíxols (pop. 20,867), as well as some significant and historical towns such as Banyoles, Palamós, Cadaqués, Ripoll, Camprodon or Puigcerdà.
This province has 221 municipalities. The municipality of Llívia, which is an exclave separated from the rest of Spain and surrounded by France, is part of this province.
Since the division by provinces in Spain and the division by comarques in Catalonia do not completely agree, the term comarques of the province of Girona would not be entirely correct. However, a list of the comarques that are included—totally or partially—in the province of Girona can be made:
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Province of Granada
Granada is a province of southern Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Albacete, Murcia, Almería, Jaén, Córdoba, Málaga, and the Mediterranean Sea (along the Costa Tropical). Its capital city is also called Granada.
The province covers an area of 12,635 km². Its population is 876,184 (2006), of whom about 30% live in the capital, and its population density is 64.82/km². It contains 168 municipalities.
The tallest mountain in the Iberian Peninsula, Mulhacén, is located in Granada. It measures 3,479 m. The next highest mountains in the province are Veleta (3,396 m) and Alcazaba (3,371 m).
The river Genil, which rises in Granada, is one of the main tributaries of the Guadalquivir. Other important rivers include the Fardes, Monachil, Guadalfeo, Dílar, Ízbor, Verde and Darro.
Granada shares the Sierra Nevada National Park (in the Sierra Nevada mountain range) with Almería province. Another important range is the Sierra de Baza.
The Alhambra World Heritage Site is Granada's biggest tourist attraction. It is one of the very finest architectural legacies of Moorish rule in Spain, which in Granada lasted from 711 until 1492.
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Province of Huelva
Huelva (pronounced: [ˈwelβa]) is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by Portugal, the provinces of Badajoz, Seville, and Cádiz, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital is Huelva.
Its area is 10,148 km². Its population is 483,792 (2005), of whom about 30% live in the capital, and its population density is 47.67/km². It contains 79 municipalities.
The economy is based on agriculture and mining. The famous Rio Tinto mines have been worked since before 1000 BC, and were the major source of copper for the Roman Empire. As an indication of the scope of ancient mining, sixteen million tons of Roman slag have been identified at the Roman mines. British companies resumed large-scale mining in 1873; the district is the namesake of the Rio Tinto Group.
The province contains Palos de la Frontera, and Moguer, where Christopher Columbus sailed out of on his first voyage in 1492, and shares the Parque Nacional de Doñana.
The delayed tourist development of the province has allowed better city planning than in other regions on the Spanish coast. The nuclei of Islantilla and Isla Canela are an example of this attempt to plan in a more coherent form. Although in a smaller scale in comparison to other regions, urban pressure continues. Previous developments that had little planning until recent time are El Rompido, El Portil, Mazagón and Matalascañas (Torre de la Higuera).
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Province of Huesca
Huesca (Aragonese: Uesca, Catalan: Osca), officially Huesca/Uesca, is a province of northeastern Spain, in northern Aragon. The capital is Huesca.
Positioned just south of the central Pyrenees, Huesca borders France and the French Departments of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Within Spain, Huesca's neighboring provinces are Navarre, Zaragoza and Lleida.
Covering a primarily mountainous area of 15,626 km², the province of Huesca has a total population of 228,566 (in 2010), with almost a quarter of its people living in the capital city of Huesca. The low population density, 14.62/km², has meant that Huesca's lush valleys, rivers, and lofty mountain ranges have remained relatively pristine and unspoiled by progress.
Home to majestic scenery, the tallest mountain in the Pyrenees, the Aneto; eternal glaciers, such as at Monte Perdido; and the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido, rich in flora and protected fauna. Popular with mountaineers, spelunkers, paragliders, and white water rafters it is also a popular snow skiing destination with notable resorts in Candanchú, Formigal, Astún, Panticosa and Cerler.
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Province of León
León (Leonese: Llión) is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.
About one quarter of its population of 500,200 (2008) lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter.[vague]
There are Roman Catholic cathedrals at León and Astorga. The province shares the Picos de Europa National Park (in the Picos de Europa mountain range) with Cantabria and Asturias. It has 211 municipalities.
The province of León was established in 1833 with the new Spanish administrative organisation into regions and provinces instead of Kingdoms. The Leonese Region was composed of the provinces of León, Salamanca and Zamora.
Until 1833, the independently administered Kingdom of León, situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula, retained the status of a kingdom, although dynastic union had brought it into the Crown of Castile. The Kingdom of León was founded in 910 A.D. when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their main seat from Oviedo to the city of León. The Atlantic provinces became the Kingdom of Portugal in 1139, and the eastern, inland part of the kingdom was joined dynastically to the Kingdom of Castile first in 1037–1065, again 1077–1109 and 1126–1157, 1230–1296 and from 1301 onward. (See Castile and León#Historic union of the Kingdoms of Castile and León.) León retained the status of a kingdom until 1833, being composed by Adelantamientos Mayores, where Leonese Adelantamiento consisted of the territories between the Picos de Europa and the Duero river.
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Province of Lleida
Lleida (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈʎɛjðə], locally: [ˈʎejðɛ]; Spanish: Lérida) is a province of north-eastern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. It is bordered by the provinces of Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Zaragoza and Huesca and the countries of France and Andorra.
Of the population of 414,015 (2007), about 30% live in the capital, Lleida. Some other towns in Lleida province are La Seu d'Urgell (see of the archbishop who is the coprince to Andorra), Mollerussa, Cervera, Tàrrega, Balaguer. There are 231 municipalities in Lleida. (See List of municipalities in Lleida).
In this province there is the Aran Valley, a special comarca with more autonomy and which has Aranese, a variety of Occitan, as its official language.
The Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is located in the province.
The province enjoys a thriving fruit-growing industry, including pears and peaches.
It has a characteristic Catalan dialect popularly known as lleidatà, with lo, los used as the masculine definite article instead of el, els and also its pronunciation in a large number of words. One example of the pronunciation is the a at the end of the word that is pronounced like an e. The local dialect, properly known as North-Western Catalan is part of the Western Catalan block, and as such, shares some features with Valencian (whose dialects are also part of that group).
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Province of Lugo
Lugo is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of Ourense, Pontevedra, and A Coruña, the principality of Asturias, the State of León, and in the north by the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay).
The population is 356,595 (2006), of whom a quarter live in the capital Lugo. The capital city was an ancient Celtic settlement named in honour of the god Lugh (see Lyon), later Latinised as Lucus Augusti, and which became one of the three main important Galician-Roman centres alongside Braccara Augusta and Asturica Augusta (modern Braga and Astorga respectively). The province has 67 municipalities.
The vast majority of people have a common language which is Galician. Some people, especially the older generation, are monolingual and only speak Galician. There are only a few people bilingual in Galician and Castilian of the little over 10,000 inhabitants. Even in the capital, the vitality of the Galician language in conversation is very strong.
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Province of Málaga
The Province of Málaga (pronounced: [ˈmalaɣa]; Spanish Provincia de Málaga) is located on the southern coast of Spain, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the South, and by the provinces of Cádiz, Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada.
Its area is 7,308 km². Its population is 1,593,068 (2009), of whom two-fifths live in the capital Málaga, and its population density is 218/km².
Its main industry and claim to fame is its tourist resorts, particularly those on the beaches along the Costa del Sol ("Sun Coast"). These beaches are visited by millions of European tourists. But besides the beaches, the mountainous province has some very interesting places to visit, like the gorge of El Chorro or the Torcal in Antequera.
The magnum opus of Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña", is named for the music of the Gypsies of this region of Spain. Another famous patron of the city is Pablo Picasso.
Málaga contains 101 municipalities. Besides the capital, its main cities are Marbella, Vélez-Málaga, Antequera and Ronda.
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Province of Ourense
Ourense (Spanish: Orense) is a province of northwestern Spain, in the southeastern part of the Autonomous Community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of Pontevedra in the west, Lugo in the north, León and Zamora in the east, and by Portugal in the south. With an area of 7,278 square km it is the only landlocked province in Galicia.
Ourense is surrounded by mountains on all sides. These mountains historically isolated the province from the more populated Galician coast. Until a highway was built in recent years linking Ourense with Vigo in the west and Benavente in the east, the only quick way for people to enter or leave the province was by railway.
The principal river system is the Miño-Sil, the fertile valleys of which produce corn (maize) and grapes for wine. Due to the many rapids these rivers are not navegable, but they have been harnessed for hydroelectric power. The Sil flows through a deep canyon and has become a sought-after tourist site for its river cruises and spectacular views.
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Province of Palencia
Palencia is a province of northern Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of León, Cantabria, Burgos, and Valladolid.
Of the population of 176,125 (2002), 45% live in the capital, Palencia. There are 191 municipalities in the province, of which more than half are villages with fewer than 200 people.
Coordinates: 42°25′N 4°30′W / 42.417°N 4.5°W / 42.417; -4.5
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Province of Segovia
Segovia is a province of central/northern Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Burgos, Soria, Guadalajara, Madrid, Ávila, and Valladolid.
The province has a population of 149,286, of whom about 35% live in the capital, Segovia. Of the 209 municipalities in the province, more than half are villages with under 200 people.
The origin of the name Segovia is said of Celtiberian origin, but also thought it was derived from the Visigoth conquest and occupation of Castile by the Goths, a Scandinavian/Germanic tribe lived in Castile from the 4th to 6th centuries AD.[citation needed]
See List of municipalities in Segovia.
Coordinates: 41°10′N 4°00′W / 41.167°N 4°W / 41.167; -4
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Province of Seville
Seville (Spanish: Sevilla) is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Cádiz, Huelva, Badajoz, and Córdoba.
Its area is 14,042 km². Its population is 1,914,958 (2010), of whom 40% live in the capital, Seville, and its population density is 125.25/km² It contains 105 municipalities.
The province shares the Parque Nacional de Doñana with Huelva province.
Seville has a warm mediterranean climate with an annual average temperature of 18.5 °C . Winters are generally mild and summers very warm. The maximum temperatures in summer often surpass 40°C. The locality of Écija is popularly known as the “Frying pan of Andalusia” for its torrid summers.
Seville is the 4th most populated province in Spain and the 1st in Andalusia with 1.868.343 inhabitants in 2008 (INE). The province of Seville generates 1.92% of the Spanish hotel movement.
In terms of tourism the city of Seville is one of the leading cities in Andalusia, situated behind Barcelona and Madrid on a national level.
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Province of Soria
Soria is a province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. Most of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area
It is bordered by the provinces of La Rioja, Zaragoza, Guadalajara, Segovia, and Burgos.
Soria is the least populous of all of Spain's provinces, with a density of around 9 inhabitants/km² - one of the lowest in the European Union. Of the province's population of 91,487 (2002), nearly 40% live in the capital, Soria. There are 183 municipalities in Soria, of which nearly half are hamlets of under 100 people and of which only 12 have more than 1000 people. The cathedral town of the province is El Burgo de Osma.
Soria has 183 municipalities divided in 10 comarcas:
See List of municipalities in Soria.
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Province of Teruel
Teruel is a province of Aragon, in the northeast of Spain. The capital is Teruel.
It is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Castellón, Valencia (including its exclave Rincón de Ademuz), Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Zaragoza.
The area of the province is 14,809 km². Its population is 138,686 (2003), of whom about a quarter live in the capital, and its population density is 9.36/km². It contains 236 municipalities, of which more than half are villages of under 200 people.
The main language throughout the province is Spanish, although Catalan is official in the Matarranya comarca.
This province is located in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area. The main ranges in the province of Teruel are Sierra de la Virgen, Sierra de Santa Cruz, Sierra de Cucalón, Sierra de San Just, Sierra Carrascosa, Sierra Menera, Sierra Palomera, Sierra de Javalambre, Sierra de Gúdar, Sierra de Albarracín and the Montes Universales, among others.
Teruel Province has undergone massive depopulation since the second half of the 20th century. The exodus from the rural mountainous areas in Teruel rose after General Franco's Plan de Estabilización in 1959. The population declined steeply as people emigrated towards the industrial areas of the large cities and the coastal towns where tourism grew exponentially, leaving behind their small villages where living conditions were often harsh, with cold snowy winters and very basic facilities. As a consequence there are many ghost towns in different parts of the province.
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Province of Toledo
Toledo is a province of central Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Madrid, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Badajoz, Cáceres, and Ávila.
Of the province's 546,538 people (2002), only about 1/9 live in the capital, Toledo, which is also capital of the autonomous community. The most populated city in the province is Talavera de la Reina with 83,793 inhabitants (2006).
The province contains 204 municipalities. The smallest municipality in Spain, Illán de Vacas, with a population of 8, is in Toledo province. See List of municipalities in Toledo.
The province shares the Parque Nacional de Cabañeros with Ciudad Real province.
Coordinates: 39°50′N 4°00′W / 39.833°N 4°W / 39.833; -4
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Province of Valencia
Valencia (Spanish: [baˈlenθja]) or València (Valencian: [vaˈlensia]) is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.
It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea. The northwestern side of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area.
Part of its territory, the Rincón de Ademuz, is an exclave sandwiched between the provinces of Cuenca and Teruel.
Of the province's 2,587,503 people, one-third live in the capital, Valencia, which is also the capital of the autonomous community. There are 265 municipalities in the province. See List of municipalities in Valencia.
The province is historically subdivided into comarques:
Coordinates: 39°20′N 0°50′W / 39.333°N 0.833°W / 39.333; -0.833
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Province of Zamora
Zamora (pronounced: [θaˈmoɾa]) is a Spanish province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.
The present-day province of Zamora province was one of three provinces formed from the former Kingdom of León in 1833, when Spain was re-organised into 49 provinces.
It is bordered by the provinces of Ourense, León, Valladolid, and Salamanca, and by Portugal.
Of the 195,665 people (2002) in the province, nearly a third live in the capital, Zamora. This province has 250 municipalities.
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Province of Zaragoza
Zaragoza (Spanish pronunciation: [θaɾaˈɣoθa]), also called Saragossa in English, is a province of northern Spain, in the central part of the autonomous community of Aragon. Its capital is Zaragoza, which is also the capital of the autonomous community. Other towns in Zaragoza include Calatayud, Borja, La Almunia de Doña Godina, Ejea de los Caballeros and Tarazona.
Its area is 17,274 km². Its population is 973,252 (2010), of whom nearly three-quarters live in the capital, and its population density is 50.95/km². It contains 292 municipalities, of which more than half are villages with fewer than 300 people.
The main language throughout the province is Spanish, although Catalan is official in the Bajo Aragón-Caspe comarca and in Mequinenza municipality.
The province of Zaragoza is bordered by the provinces of Lleida, Tarragona, Teruel, Guadalajara, Soria, La Rioja, Navarre, and Huesca. The southern and western side of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area and includes its highest point, the Moncayo, while the northern end reaches the Pre-Pyrenees. The Ebro River crosses the province from west to east.
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Province of Ávila
Ávila (pronounced: [ˈaβila]) is a province of central-western Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered on the south by the provinces of Toledo and Cáceres, on the west by Salamanca, on the north by Valladolid, and on the east by Segovia and Madrid. Ávila has a population of 165,138 (2002). Its capital is Ávila.
Ávila is naturally divided into two sections, differing completely in soil and climate. The northern portion is generally level; the soil is of indifferent quality, strong and marly in a few places, but rocky in all the valleys of the Sierra de Ávila; and the climate alternates from severe cold in winter to extreme heat in summer. The population of this part is mainly agricultural. The southern division is one mass of rugged granitic sierras, interspersed, however, with sheltered and well-watered valleys, abounding with rich vegetation. The winter here, especially in the elevated region of the Paramera and the waste lands of Ávila, is long and severe, but the climate is not unhealthy.
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Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia (English /ˈmɜrsiə/, /ˈmɜrʃə/; Spanish: Región de Murcia [reˈxjon de ˈmurθja]; Valencian: Regió de Múrcia [redʒiˈo ðe ˈmuɾsia]) is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast.
The autonomous community consists of a single province, unlike most autonomous communities, which have several provinces within the same territory. Because of this, the autonomous community and the province are operated as one unit of government. The city of Murcia is the capital of the region and seat of government organs, except for the parliament (Regional Assembly), which is located in Cartagena. The autonomous community and province is subdivided into municipalities.
The Region of Murcia is bordered by Andalusia (the provinces of Almería and Granada); Castile–La Mancha (the province of Albacete, which was historically connected to Murcia until 1980); the Valencian Community (province of Alicante); and the Mediterranean Sea. The community measures 11,313 km² and has a population of 1.4 million, of whom one-third live in the capital. The highest mountain is Los Obispos (2,015 m).
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Roman Armenia
From the end of the 1st century BC onwards, Armenia was, in part or whole, subject to the Roman Empire and its successor, the East Roman or Byzantine Empire. Emperor Trajan created even a short-lived Province of Armenia between 114 and 118 AD.
Armenia was under direct Roman control as a province only for a few years under Trajan, but it had a far longer history as a vassal and client state of the Roman Empire for most of the first three centuries after Pompey's campaign in Armenia in 66 BC.
With the eastwards expansion of the Roman Republic during the Mithridatic Wars, the Kingdom of Armenia, under the Artaxiad Dynasty, was made a Roman protectorate by Pompey in 66/65 BC. For the next 100 years, Armenia remained under Roman influence. Towards the middle of the 1st century AD, the rising Parthian influence disputed Roman supremacy, which was re-established by the campaigns of Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo.
This conflict ended after the Battle of Rhandeia, in an effective stalemate and a formal compromise: a Parthian prince of the Arsacid line would henceforth sit on the Armenian throne, but his nomination had to be approved by the Roman emperor.
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Rome
Rome (/ˈroʊm/; Italian: Roma pronounced [ˈroːma] ( listen); Latin: Rōma) is a city and special comune ("Roma Capitale") in Italy. Rome is the capital of Italy and the capital of Lazio (Latin: Latium). With 2.8 million residents in 1,285.3 km2 (496.3 sq mi), it is also the country's largest and most populated comune and fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. Between 3.2 and 3.7 million people live in the Rome metropolitan area. The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.
Rome's history spans two and a half thousand years. It was the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which was the dominant power in Western Europe and the lands bordering the Mediterranean for over seven hundred years from the 1st century BC until the 7th century AD and the city is regarded as one of the birthplaces of western civilization. Since the 1st century AD Rome has been the seat of the Papacy and, after the end of Byzantine domination, in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. In 1871 Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and in 1946 that of the Italian Republic.
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Roussillon
Roussillon (French pronunciation: [ʁusiˈjɔ̃]; Catalan: Rosselló, IPA: [rusəˈʎo]) is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees). It may also refer to French Catalonia or Northern Catalonia, the latter used by Catalan-speakers. A 1998 survey found that 34% of respondents stated they speak Catalan, and a further 21% understand it.
Also a French province before the Revolution (and Spanish before the Thirty Years' War), Roussillon derived its name from Ruscino (Rosceliona, Castel Rossello), a small fortified place near modern-day Perpignan where Gaulish chieftains met to consider Hannibal's request for a conference. The region formed part of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis from 121 BC to AD 462, when it was ceded with the rest of Septimania to the Visigoth Theodoric II. His successor, Amalaric, on his defeat by Clovis in 531 retired to Hispania, leaving a governor in Septimania.
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Samnium
Samnium (Italian: Sannio) is a Latin exonym for a region of south or south and central Italy in Roman times. The name survives in Italian today, but today's territory comprising it is only a small portion of what it once was. The populations of Samnium were called Samnites by the Romans. Their own endonyms were Safinim for the country (attested in one inscription and one coin legend) and Safineis for the people. The language of these endonyms and of the population was the Oscan language. However, not all the Samnites spoke Oscan, and not all the Oscan speakers lived in Samnium.
The ancient authors were unable to relay a precise definition of Samnium's borders. Moreover, the regions included vary depending on the time period considered. The main configurations are the borders that it had during the floruit of the Oscan speakers, from about 600 BC to about 290 BC, known historically in the Roman Republic, and the borders as they were defined to be by the emperor Augustus, published in his official manifesto, Discriptio Italiae, lost to moderns, but serving as the basis of Pliny the Elder's description of Italy. By that time Oscan was not spoken. Samnium had ceased to be a sovereign state since about 290 BC. Augustus divided Italy into 11 regions. Samnium was Region IV. It included areas that had never been in the republican Samnium and also omitted much of it. Ancient Samnium was included in three of Augustus' regions.
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Sardinia
Sardinia ( /sɑrˈdɪniə/, Italian: Sardegna [sarˈdeɲɲa], Sardinian: Sardigna [sarˈdinja]) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and before Cyprus). It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are (clockwise from north) the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.
The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[], romanised as sardus (feminine sarda); that the name had a religious connotation is suggested from its use also as the adjective for the ancient Sardinian mythological hero-god Sardus Pater "Sardinian Father" (misunderstood by many modern Sardinians/Italians as being "Father Sardus"), as well as being the stem of the adjective "sardonic". Sardinia was called Ichnusa (the Latinised form of the Greek Hyknousa), Sandalion, Sardinia and Sardo by the ancient Greeks and the Romans.
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 23,821 km². It is situated between 38° 51' and 41° 15' latitude north and 8° 8' and 9° 50' east longitude. To the west of Sardinia is the Sea of Sardinia, a unit of the Mediterranean Sea; to Sardinia's east is the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is also an element of the Mediterranean Sea.
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Sicily
Sicily (Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia, [siˈtʃiːlja]; [sɪˈɕilja]) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea; along with surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana (Sicilian Autonomous Region).
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean. It extends from the tip of the Apennine peninsula from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina, towards the North African coast. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, which is at 3,320 m (10,890 ft) the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archeological evidence of human dwelling on the island dates from 8000 BC. At around 750 BC, Sicily became a Greek colony and for the next 600 years it was the site of the Greek-Punic and Roman-Punic wars, which ended with the Roman destruction of Carthage. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily often changed hands, and during the early Middle Ages it was ruled in turn by the Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. Later on, the Kingdom of Sicily lasted between 1130 and 1816, subordinated to the crowns of Aragon, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and finally the Bourbons, as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was united with the rest of Italy in 1860, but a subsequent economic collapse led to a wave of emigration, separatism, and the emergence of the Mafia, whose criminal activities pose problems to this day. After the birth of the Italian Republic in 1946, Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region.
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Siena
Siena (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsjɛːna] ( listen); in English also spelled Sienna, the historic exonym) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year.
Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill-forts. A Roman town called Saena Julia was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor Augustus. The first document mentioning it dates from AD 70. Some archaeologists assert that Siena was controlled for a period by a Gaulish tribe called the Saenones.
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Spain
Spain (i/ˈspeɪn/ SPAYN; Spanish: España, pronounced: [esˈpaɲa] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a sovereign state and a member of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north and north east by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.
Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. Furthermore, the town of Llívia is a Spanish exclave situated inside French territory. With an area of 504,030 square kilometres (194,610 sq mi), it is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France, and the fourth largest country in Europe after Russia, Ukraine and France.
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Sweden
Sweden (i/ˈswiːdən/ SWEE-dən; Swedish: Sverige [ˈsværjɛ] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige (help·info)), is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland, and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Øresund.
At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union by area, with a total population of about 9.4 million. Sweden has a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) with the population mostly concentrated to the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas. Sweden's capital city is Stockholm, which is also the largest city.
Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, the country expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire. The empire grew to be one of the great powers of Europe in the 17th and early 18th century. Most of the conquered territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were lost during the 18th and 19th centuries. The eastern half of Sweden, present-day Finland, was lost to Russia in 1809. The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814, when Sweden by military means forced Norway into a personal union. Since then, Sweden has been at peace, practicing "non-participation in military alliances during peacetime and neutrality during wartime". However, Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 1995 and is a member of the OECD.
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Thessaly
Thessaly (Greek: Θεσσαλία, Thessalía — Thessalian: Πετθαλία, Petthalia) is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey.
Thessaly became part of the modern Greek state in 1881, after four and a half centuries of Ottoman rule. Since 1987 it has formed one of the country's 13 regions and is further (since the Kallikratis reform of 2010) sub-divided into 5 regional units and 25 municipalities. The capital of the region is Larissa. Thessaly lies in central Greece and borders the regions of Macedonia on the north, Epirus on the west, Central Greece on the south and the Aegean Sea on the east. The Thessaly region also includes the Sporades islands.
Thessaly was home to an extensive Neolithic culture around 2500 BC. Mycenaean settlements have also been discovered, for example at the sites of Iolcos, Dimini and Sesklo (near Volos). In Archaic and Classical times, the lowlands of Thessaly became the home of baronial families, such as the Aleuadae of Larissa or the Scopads of Crannon. In the 4th century BC Jason of Pherae transformed the region into a significant military power, recalling the glory of Early Archaic times. Shortly after Philip II of Macedon was appointed Archon of Thessaly, and Thessaly was thereafter associated with the Macedonian Kingdom for the next centuries. Thessaly later became part of the Roman Empire as part of the province of Macedonia.
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Tripolitania
Tripolitania /trɨpɒlɨˈteɪniə/ or Tripolitana (Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus, Berber: Ṭrables, from Latin Regio Tripolitana) is a historic region and former province of Libya.
Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934. From 1934 to 1963, Tripolitania was one of three administrative divisions within Italian Libya and the Kingdom of Libya, alongside Cyrenaica to the east and Fezzan to the south.
In the old system, Tripolitania included Tripoli, the capital city of Libya and a vast northwestern portion of the country; in the subsequent systems, the sha'biyah of Tripoli has become much smaller than the original Tripolitania, including merely the city of Tripoli and its immediate surroundings. Because the city and the sha'biyah are nowadays almost coextensive, the term "Tripolitania" has more historical than contemporary value. In Arabic the same word (طرابلس) is used for both the city and the region, and that word, used alone, would be understood to mean only the city; in order to designate Tripolitania in Arabic, a qualifier such as "state", "province" or "sha'biyah" is required.
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Valencian Community
The Valencian Community (English /vəˈlɛnsiən kɵˈmjuːnɨti/, /vəˈlɛnʃən kɵˈmjuːnɨti/; Valencian: Comunitat Valenciana [komuniˈtad valensiˈana]; Spanish: Comunidad Valenciana [komuniˈðað βalenˈθjana]; known alternatively as País Valencià) is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia. The region is divided into three provinces: Alicante, Castellón and Valencia, and thirty four comarques.
It has 518 km of Mediterranean coastline and covers 23,259 km² of land with 5.1 million inhabitants (2009). Its borders largely reflect those of the historic Kingdom of Valencia.
The current version of the Valencian Statute of Autonomy (2006) declares the Valencian Community a nationality of Spain. The official languages are Valencian (as Catalan is known in this territory) and Spanish.
The official name of the autonomous community, Comunitat Valenciana, has seen a variety of renditions in English; including "Valencian Community", "Valencian Country", "Land of Valencia", "Region of Valencia" or most commonly, simply "Valencia". The Spanish name, Comunidad Valenciana, was co-official under the first Statute of Autonomy of 1982. At the present moment, the Valencian Government translates the name as "Region of Valencia" and, sometimes, "Land of Valencia", as the Department of Tourism states in publications edited both in Spanish and English.
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Volterra
Volterra, known to the ancient Etruscans as Velathri, to the Romans as Volaterrae, is a town and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy.
The town was a Neolithic settlement and an important Etruscan center (Velathri or Felathri) with an original civilization; it became a municipium in the Roman Age. The city was a bishop's residence in the 5th century, and its episcopal power was affirmed during the 12th century. With the decline of the episcopate, Volterra became a place of interest of the Florentines, whose forces conquered Volterra. Florentine rule was not always popular, and opposition occasionally broke into rebellion. These rebellions were put down by Florence.
The poet Jacopo da Leona was a judge at Volterra in the 13th century.
When the Florentine Republic fell in 1530, Volterra came under the control of the Medici family and later followed the history of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Outside the city, in direction of Lajatico, is the Medici Villa di Spedaletto. Also in the neighborhood, in the Valle Bona area, are excavations of Etruscan tombs.
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Álava
Álava (IPA: [ˈalaβa] in Spanish) or Araba (IPA: [aˈɾaba] in Basque) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community. It borders the Basque provinces of Biscay and Gipuzkoa to the north, the community of La Rioja to the south, the province of Burgos (in the community of Castile and León) to the west and the community of Navarre to the east. The Enclave of Treviño is part of the province of Burgos, not Álava.
It is the largest of the three provinces in the Basque Autonomous Community in geograohical terms, with 2,963 km², but also the least populated with 317,352 inhabitants.
Built around the Roman mansion Alba located on the ab Asturica Burdigalam (possibly the current village of Albeniz near Agurain), it has sometimes been argued the name may stem from that landmark. However, according to the Royal Academy of the Basque Language, the origin may be another: The name is first found on Muslim chronicles of the 8th century referring to the Alavese Plains (Spanish Llanada Alavesa, Basque Arabako Lautada), laua in old Basque (currently lautada) with the Arab article added (al + laua), developing into Spanish Álava and Basque Araba (a typical development of l to r between vowels).
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Almohad Caliphate
The Almohad Dynasty (Berber: Imweḥḥden, from Arabic الموحدون al-Muwaḥḥidun, "the monotheists" or "the Unitarians"), was a MoroccanBerber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.
The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his death in 1163, the Almohads defeated the ruling Almoravids, extending their power over all of the Maghreb. Al-Andalus, Moorish Iberia (modern Portugal and southern Spain) under the Almoravid dynasty, followed the fate of Africa.
The Almohad dominance of Iberia continued until 1212, when Muhammad III, "al-Nasir" (1199–1214) was defeated at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in the Sierra Morena by an alliance of the Christian princes of Castile, Aragon, Navarre, and Portugal. Nearly all of the Moorish dominions in Iberia were lost soon after, with the great Moorish cities of Córdoba and Seville falling to the Christians in 1236 and 1248 respectively.
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Austria
Austria (i/ˈɒstriə/ or /ˈɔːstriə/; German: Österreich [ˈøːstɐˌʁaɪç] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich (help·info)), is a landlocked country of roughly 8.47 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres (32,377 sq mi) and has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speak local Austro-Bavarian dialects of German as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other local official languages are Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene.
The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe and, in response to the coronation of Napoleon I as the Emperor of the French, the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary.
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Belisarius
Flavius Belisarius (Greek: Βελισάριος, ca. AD 500 – AD 565) was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously.
One of the defining features of Belisarius' career was his success despite the little or no support he received from Justinian. He is also among a select group of men considered by historians to be the "Last of the Romans".
Belisarius was probably born in Germane or Germania, a city that once stood on the site of present day Sapareva Banya in south-west Bulgaria, in the borders of Thrace and Illyria. Born into an Illyrian or Thracian family, he became a Roman soldier as a young man, serving as bodyguard of Emperor Justin I.
He came to the attention of Justin and his nephew, Justinian, as a promising and innovative officer. He was given permission by the emperor to form a bodyguard regiment (bucellarii), of heavy cavalry. He was given permission to expand this unit into a personal household regiment, 1,500 strong. Belisarius' bucellarii were the nucleus around which all the armies he would later command were organized. Armed with lance, Hunnish composite bow, throwing darts, and broadsword, they were fully armored to the standard of heavy cavalry of the day. A multi-purpose unit, they were capable of skirmishing at a distance with bow, like the Huns; or could act as heavy shock cavalry, charging and crushing an enemy with lance and sword. In essence, they combined the best and most dangerous aspects of both of Rome's greatest enemies, the Huns and the Goths.
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Caria
Caria ([pronunciation?]; or Karia) (from Luwian Karuwa meaning "steep country", Ancient Greek, Καρία) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there. The eponymous inhabitants of Caria were known as Carians, and they had arrived in Caria before the Greeks. They were described by Herodotos as being of Minoan descent, while the Carians themselves maintained that they were Anatolian mainlanders intensely engaged in seafaring and were akin to the Mysians and the Lydians. The Carians did speak an Anatolian language, which does not necessarily reflect their geographic origin, as Anatolian once may have been widespread. Also closely associated with the Carians were the Leleges, which could be an earlier name for Carians or for a people who had preceded them in the region and continued to exist as part of their society in a reputedly second-class status.
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Diocletian
Diocletian (Latin: Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus Augustus; c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305. Born to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia, Diocletian rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the Emperor Carus. After the deaths of Carus and his son Numerian on campaign in Persia, Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor. The title was also claimed by Carus' other surviving son, Carinus, but Diocletian defeated him in the Battle of the Margus. With his accession to power, Diocletian ended the Crisis of the Third Century. He appointed fellow officer Maximian Augustus his senior co-emperor in 285.
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Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus ([pronunciation?]; Greek: Διόδωρος Σικελιώτης, Diodoros Sikeliotes) was a Greek historian who flourished between 60 and 30 BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily (now called Agira). With one exception, antiquity affords no further information about Diodorus' life and doings beyond what is to be found in his own work, Bibliotheca historica. Only Jerome, in his Chronicon under the "year of Abraham 1968" (i.e., 49 BC), writes, "Diodorus of Sicily, a writer of Greek history, became illustrious". His English translator, Charles Henry Oldfather, remarks on the "striking coincidence" that one of only two known Greek inscriptions from Agyrium (I.G. XIV, 588) is the tombstone of one "Diodorus, the son of Apollonius".
Diodorus' universal history, which he named Bibliotheca historica ("Historical Library"), consisted of 40 books, of which 1–5 and 11–20 survive, and were divided into three sections. The first six books treat the mythic history of the non-Hellenic and Hellenic tribes to the destruction of Troy and are geographical in theme, and describe the history and culture of Ancient Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (II), of North Africa (III), and of Greece and Europe (IV–VI).
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Genseric
Genseric (c. 389 – January 25, 477), also spelled as Geiseric or Gaiseric, was King of the Vandals and Alans (428–477) and was one of the key players in the troubles of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. During his nearly 50 years of rule, he raised a relatively insignificant Germanic tribe to the status of a major Mediterranean power — which, after he died, entered a swift decline and eventual collapse.
Succeeding his brother Gunderic at a time when the Vandals were settled in Baetica (modern Andalusia, Spain), Gaiseric transported all his people, around 80,000, to to Northern Africa in 428. He might have been invited by the Roman governor Bonifacius, who wished to use the military strength of the Vandals in his struggle against the imperial government.
Gaiseric caused great devastation as he moved eastward from the Strait of Gibraltar across Africa. He turned on Bonifacius, defeated his army in 430, and then crushed the joint forces of the Eastern and Western empires that had been sent against him. In 435 Gaiseric concluded a treaty with the Romans under which the Vandals retained Mauretania and part of Numidia as federates (allies under special treaty) of Rome. In a surprise move on October 19, 439, Gaiseric captured Carthage, striking a devastating blow at imperial power. In a 442 treaty with Rome the Vandals were recognized as the independent rulers of Byzacena, and part of Numidia. Gaiseric’s fleet soon came to control much of the western Mediterranean, and he annexed the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta and Sicily.
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Hastein
Hastein (also recorded as Haesten, Hæsten, Hæstenn or Hæsting and alias Alsting) was a notable Viking chieftain of the late 9th century who made several raiding voyages.
Little is known of Hastein's early life, described as a Dane in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, he is often given as a son of Ragnar Lodbrok. He is first recorded taking part in the Viking attack on the Frankish Empire, occupying Noirmoutier in 843[citation needed] and on the Loire again in 859 for his great raid into the Mediterranean.
One of the most famous Viking raids was Hastein's voyage to the Mediterranean (859-862AD), having set out with Björn Ironside, another son of Ragnar Lodbrok with 62 ships from the Loire.
At first the raiding did not go well, with Hastein being defeated by the Asturians and later the Muslims of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba at Niebla in 859. Success followed with the sacking of Algeciras, where the mosque was burned, and then the ravaging of Mazimma in the Idrisid Caliphate on the north coast of Africa, followed by further raids into the Umayyad Caliphate at Orihuela, the Balearic Islands and Roussillon.
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Hayreddin Barbarossa
Hayreddin Barbarossa, or Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha (Turkish: Barbaros Hayreddin (Hayrettin) Paşa or Hızır Hayreddin (Hayrettin) Paşa; also Khizr Reis before being promoted to the rank of Pasha and becoming the Kapudan-i Derya, born Khizr or Khidr, Turkish: Hızır; c. 1478 – 4 July 1546), was an Ottoman Turkish admiral who dominated the Mediterranean for decades. He was born on the island of Lesbos/Mytilini and died in Istanbul (Constantinople), the Ottoman capital. Hayreddin (Arabic: Khair ad-Din خير الدين, which literally means "goodness" or "best of the religion" of Islam) was an honorary name given to him by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. He became known as "Barbarossa" ("Redbeard" in Italian) in Europe, a name he inherited from his elder brother Baba Oruç (Father Aruj) after Aruj was killed in a battle with the Spanish in Algeria. This name sounded like "Barbarossa" ("Redbeard") to the Europeans, and Aruj did have a red beard. The nickname then stuck also to Hayreddin's Turkish name, in the form Barbaros.[citation needed]
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James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror (Catalan: Jaume el Conqueridor, Aragonese: Chaime lo Conqueridor, Spanish: Jaime el Conquistador, Occitan: Jacme lo Conquistaire; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276. His long reign saw the expansion of the Crown of Aragon on all sides: into Valencia to the south, Languedoc to the north, and the Balearic Islands to the east. By a treaty with Louis IX of France, he wrested the county of Barcelona from nominal French suzerainty and integrated it into his crown. His part in the Reconquista was similar in Mediterranean Spain to that of his contemporary Ferdinand III of Castile in Andalusia.
As a legislator and organiser, he occupies a high place among the Spanish kings. James compiled the Llibre del Consulat de Mar, which governed maritime trade and helped establish Catalan-Aragonese supremacy in the western Mediterranean. He was an important figure in the development of Catalan, sponsoring Catalan literature and writing a quasi-autobiographical chronicle of his reign: the Llibre dels fets.
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James II of Majorca
James II (Catalan: Jaume) (31 May 1243 – 29 May 1311) was King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier from 1276 until his death. He was the second son of James I of Aragon and his wife Violant, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary. In 1279, by the Treaty of Perpignan, he became a vassal of the Crown of Aragon.
James inherited from his father a realm including three of the Balearic Islands (Majorca, Ibiza and Formentera), the counties of Roussillon and Cerdanya, the dominion of Montpellier, the barony of Aumelàs, and the viscounty of Carladès. He also gained tribute from the fourth Balearic island, Minorca, which remained under Muslim control throughout his life. He ruled as a vassal of his brother Peter III of Aragon, a subordinate status which he sought to escape.
In the Aragonese Crusade, James allied with Pope Martin IV and king Philip III of France (the widower of his sister, Isabella) against his brother, but was defeated in the Battle of Les Formigues in 1285. His nephew Alfonso III of Aragon annexed the Balearic Islands to Aragon in the conquest, but they were returned by the Treaty of Anagni in 1295.
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James III of Majorca
James III (also Jaume or Jaime; 1315 – 25 October 1349), called the Rash or the Unfortunate, son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabelle de Sabran, heiress of Principality of Achaea, was the King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the last independent king of Majorca of the House of Barcelona.
James was born at Catania. At the death of his mother in 1315, he was proclaimed Prince of Achaia under the guardianship of his father, who brought the unruly principality under control, but was killed in 1316. From 1331 the feudal lords of Achaia began to recognise the rights of James, and in 1333 the recognition was total, though the heirs of Philip I of Taranto continued to press their claim.
Upon the death of his uncle Sancho in 1324, James took over Majorca, being the grandson of James II. In order to establish friendly relations with the Crown of Aragon, he married Constance, daughter of Alfonso IV of Aragon. Though the kings of Majorca traditionally swore an oath of fealty to the kings of Aragon, James claimed that no king could have lordship over any other king. He patronised the University of Montpellier, which lay within his continental domains, and the legal scholars of that institution defended his rights as king.
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José Ramón Bauzà
José Ramón Bauzà (Madrid, November 16, 1970) is a Spanish politician and the current president of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands.
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Livy
Titus Livius Patavinus (59 BC – AD 17) — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Books from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC through the reign of Augustus in Livy's own time. He was on familiar terms with the Julio-Claudian family, advising Augustus's grandnephew, the future emperor Claudius, as a young man not long before 14 AD in a letter to take up the writing of history. Livy and Augustus's wife, Livia, were from the same clan in different locations, although not related by blood.
Livy was born as Titus Livius in Patavium in northern Italy, now modern Padua. There is a debate about the year of Titus Livius' birth, 64 BC or more likely 59 BC. At the time of Livy’s birth, his home city of Patavium was the second wealthiest city in the Italian peninsula. Patavium was a part of the province of Cisalpine Gaul at the time. In his works, Livy often expressed his deep affection and pride for Patavium, and the city was well known for its conservative values in morality and politics.
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Lycophron
Lycophron (/ˈlaɪ.kə.frɒn/; Ancient Greek: Λυκόφρων ὁ Χαλκιδεύς; gen.: Λυκόφρονος) was a Hellenistic Greek tragic poet, grammarian, and commentator on comedy, to whom the poem Alexandra is attributed (perhaps falsely).
He was born at Chalcis in Euboea, and flourished at Alexandria in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-247 BC). According to the Suda, the massive tenth century Byzantine Greek historical encyclopedia, he was the son of Socles, but was adopted by Lycus of Rhegium. He was entrusted by Ptolemy with the task of arranging the comedies in the Library of Alexandria; as the result of his labours he composed a treatise On Comedy. Lycophron is also said to have been a skilful writer of anagrams.
The poetic compositions of Lycophron chiefly consisted of tragedies, which secured him a place in the Pleiad of Alexandrian tragedians. The Suda gives the titles of twenty tragedies, of which a very few fragments have been preserved: Aeolus, Allies (Symmakhoi), Andromeda, Chrysippus, Daughters of Aeolus, Daughters of Pelops, Elephenor, Herakles, Hippolytus, Kassandreis, Laius, Marathonians, Menedemus, Nauplius, Oedipus (two versions), Orphan (Orphanos), Pentheus, Suppliants (Hiketai), Telegonus, and the Wanderer (Aletes). Among these, a few well-turned lines show a much better style than the Alexandra. Lycophron's tragedies are said to have been much admired by Menedemus of Eretria, although Lycophron had ridiculed him in a satyr play.
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Lydia
Lydia (Assyrian: Luddu; Greek: Λυδία) was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian.
At its greatest extent, the Kingdom of Lydia covered all of western Anatolia. Lydia (known as Sparda by the Achaemenids) was a satrapy (province) of the Achaemenid Empire, with Sardis as its capital. Tabalus, appointed by Cyrus the Great, was the first satrap (governor). (See: Lydia (satrapy)).
Lydia was later the name for a Roman province. Coins are thought to have been invented in Lydia around the 7th century BC.
The endonym Śfard (the name the Lydians called themselves) survives in bilingual and trilingual stone-carved notices of the Achaemenid Empire: the satrapy of Sparda (Old Persian), Aramaic Saparda, Babylonian Sapardu, Elamitic Išbarda. These in the Greek tradition are associated with Sardis, the capital city of Gyges, constructed in the 7th century BC.
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Nero
Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus); 15 December 37 – 9 June 68) was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death. During his reign, Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade, and enhancing the cultural life of the Empire. He ordered theaters built and promoted athletic games. During his reign, the redoubtable general Corbulo conducted a successful war and negotiated peace with the Parthian Empire. His general Suetonius Paulinus crushed a revolt in Britain and also annexed the Bosporan Kingdom to the Empire, beginning the First Roman–Jewish War.
In 64, most of Rome was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome, which many Romans believed Nero himself had started in order to clear land for his planned palatial complex, the Domus Aurea. In 68, the rebellion of Vindex in Gaul and later the acclamation of Galba in Hispania drove Nero from the throne. Facing assassination, he committed suicide on 9 June 68. His death ended the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, sparking a brief period of civil wars known as the Year of the Four Emperors. Nero's rule is often associated with tyranny and extravagance. He is known for many executions, including those of his mother and the probable murder by poison of his stepbrother, Britannicus.
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Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great (Catalan: Pere el Gran, Aragonese: Pero lo Gran; 1239, Valencia – 2 November 1285) was the King of Aragon (as Peter III) of Valencia (as Peter I), and Count of Barcelona (as Peter II) from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.
Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife Yolanda of Hungary. On 13 June 1262, he married Constance, daughter and heiress of Manfred of Sicily. During his youth and early adulthood, Peter gained a great deal of military experience in his father's wars of the Reconquista against the Moors.
On James' death, the lands of the Crown of Aragon were divided, with Aragon and Valencia, along with the Catalan counties, going to the eldest son, Peter, while the Balearic Islands (constituted as the Kingdom of Majorca), alongside the territories in the Languedoc (Montpellier and Roussillon), went to the second son, James. Peter and Constance were crowned in Zaragoza (the capital of Aragon) in November by the archbishop of Tarragona. At this ceremony, Peter renounced all feudal obligations to the papacy which his grandfather Peter II had incurred.
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Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, (Catalan: Pere, IPA: [ˈpeɾə]; Aragonese: Pero, IPA: [ˈpeɾo]; Spanish: Pedro, IPA: [ˈpeðɾo]) (Balaguer, 5 September 1319 – Barcelona, 6 January 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one of the little dagger"), was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica (as Peter I), King of Valencia (as Peter II), and Count of Barcelona (and the rest of the Principality of Catalonia as Peter III) from 1336 until his death. He deposed James III of Majorca and made himself King of Majorca in 1344. His reign was occupied with attempts to strengthen the crown against the Union of Aragon and other such devices of the nobility, with their near constant revolts, and with foreign wars, in Sardinia, Sicily, the Mezzogiorno, Greece, and the Balearics. His wars in Greece made him Duke of Athens and Neopatria in 1381.
Peter was born at Balaguer, the eldest son and heir of Alfons IV, then Count of Urgell, and his first wife, Teresa d'Entença. Peter was designated to inherit all of his father's title save that of Urgell, which went to his younger brother James.
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Philip III of France
Philip III (30 April 1245 – 5 October 1285), called the Bold (French: le Hardi), was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.
Born in Poissy, to Louis IX (the later Saint Louis) and Margaret of Provence, Philip was prior to his accession Count of Orleans. He accompanied his father on the Eighth Crusade to Tunisia in 1270. His father died at Tunis and there Philip was declared king at the age of 25. Philip was indecisive, soft in nature, timid, and apparently crushed by the strong personalities of his parents and dominated by his father's policies. He was called "the Bold" on the basis of his abilities in combat and on horseback and not his character. He was pious, but not cultivated. He followed the dictates of others, first of Pierre de la Broce and then of his uncle Charles I of Sicily.
After his succession, he quickly set his uncle on negotiations with the emir to conclude the crusade, while he himself returned to France. A ten-year truce was concluded and Philip was crowned in France on 12 August 1271. On 21 August, his uncle, Alfonso, Count of Poitou, Toulouse, and Auvergne, died returning from the crusade in Italy. Philip inherited his counties and united them to the royal demesne. The portion of the Auvergne which he inherited became the "Terre royale d'Auvergne", later the Duchy of Auvergne. In accordance with Alfonso's wishes, the Comtat Venaissin was granted to the Pope Gregory X in 1274. Several years of negotiations yielded the Treaty of Amiens with Edward I of England in 1279. Thereby Philip restored to the English the Agenais which had fallen to him with the death of Alfonso. In 1284, Philip also inherited the counties of Perche and Alençon from his brother Pierre.
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Phoenicians
Phoenicia (UK /fɨˈnɪʃə/, US /fəˈniːʃə/; from the Greek: Φοινίκη: Phoiníkē), was an ancient Semitic Canaanite civilization situated on the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. The major Phoenician cities were on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550 BC to 300 BC. The Phoenicians used the galley, a man-powered sailing vessel, and are credited with the invention of the bireme. They were famed in Classical Greece and Rome as 'traders in purple', referring to their monopoly on the precious purple dye of the Murex snail, used, among other things, for royal clothing, and for their spread of the alphabet (or abjad), upon which all major modern phonetic alphabets are derived.
In the Amarna tablets of the 14th century BC, people from the region called themselves Kenaani or Kinaani (Canaanites), although these letters predate the invasion of the Sea Peoples by over a century. Much later, in the 6th century BC, Hecataeus of Miletus writes that Phoenicia was formerly called χνα, a name Philo of Byblos later adopted into his mythology as his eponym for the Phoenicians: "Khna who was afterwards called Phoinix". Egyptian seafaring expeditions had already been made to Byblos to bring back "cedars of Lebanon" as early as the third millennium BC.
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Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia ( /ˈfrɪdʒiə/; Greek: Φρυγία, Ancient Greek: [pʰryɡía]) Turkish: Frigya) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey, centered around the Sakarya River.
The Phrygians are most famous for their legendary kings of the heroic age of Greek mythology: Gordias whose Gordian Knot would later be untied by Alexander the Great, Midas who turned whatever he touched to gold, and Mygdon who warred with the Amazons. According to Homer's Iliad, the Phrygians were close allies of the Trojans and participants in the Trojan War against the Achaeans. Phrygian power reached its zenith in the late 8th century BC under another, historical King Midas, who dominated most of western and central Anatolia and rivaled Assyria and Urartu for power in eastern Anatolia. This later Midas was however also the last independent king of Phrygia before its capital Gordium was sacked by Cimmerians around 695 BC. Phrygia then became subject to Lydia, and then successively to Persia, Alexander and his Hellenistic successors, Pergamon, Rome and Byzantium. Phrygians were gradually assimilated into other cultures by the early medieval era, and the name Phrygia passed out of usage as a territorial designation after the Turkish conquest of Anatolia.
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Pietro Moriconi
Pietro Moriconi (died 1119) was the Archbishop of Pisa from 1105, succeeding Dagobert. According to tradition he belonged to the noble lineage of Moriconi of Vico. He first appears as archbishop in a document of 19 March 1106, and is credited with strengthening the Pisan church. He took part in the 1113–1115 Balearic Islands expedition, where he interfered to quash peace negotiations that ran counter to Pisa's interests. He died in 1119 (Pisan calendar), and was buried on 10 September in the Pisan Duomo.
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Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (23 AD – August 25, 79 AD), better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian. Spending most of his spare time studying, writing or investigating natural and geographic phenomena in the field, he wrote an encyclopedic work, Naturalis Historia, which became a model for all such works written subsequently. Pliny the Younger, his nephew, wrote of him in a letter to the historian Tacitus:
Pliny is referring to the fact that Tacitus relied on his uncle's now missing work on the History of the German Wars. Pliny the Elder died on August 25, 79 AD, while attempting the rescue by ship of a friend and his family from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that had just destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The prevailing wind would not allow his ship to leave the shore. His companions attributed his collapse and death to toxic fumes; but they were unaffected by the fumes, suggesting natural causes.
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Pomponius Mela
Pomponius Mela, who wrote around AD 43, was the earliest Roman geographer. He was born in Tingentera (Algeciras) and died c. AD 45.
His short work (De situ orbis libri III.) occupies less than one hundred pages of ordinary print. It is laconic in style and deficient in method, but of pure Latinity, and occasionally relieved by pleasing word-pictures. Except for the geographical parts of Pliny's Historia naturalis (where Mela is cited as an important authority) the De situ orbis is the only formal treatise on the subject in Classical Latin.
Little is known of the author except his name and birthplace—the small town of Tingentera or Cingentera in southern Spain, on Algeciras Bay (Mela ii. 6, § 96; but the text is here corrupt). The date of his writing may be approximately fixed by his allusion (iii. 6 § 49) to a proposed British expedition of the reigning emperor, almost certainly that of Claudius in AD 43. That this passage cannot refer to Julius Caesar is evidenced by several references to events of Augustus's reign, especially to certain new names given to Spanish towns. Mela has been without probability identified by some with L. Annaeus Mela of Corduba, son of the rhetorician Seneca the Elder, and brother of the philosopher Seneca the Younger.
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Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy ( /ˈtɒləmi/; Greek: Κλαύδιος Πτολεμαῖος, Klaudios Ptolemaios; Latin: Claudius Ptolemaeus; c. AD 90 – c. AD 168), was a Greek-Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the Thebaid. This theory, proposed by Theodore Meliteniotes, could be correct, but it is late (ca. 1360) and unsupported. There is no reason to suppose that he ever lived anywhere else than Alexandria, where he died around AD 168.
Ptolemy was the author of several scientific treatises, at least three of which were of continuing importance to later Islamic and European science. The first is the astronomical treatise now known as the Almagest (in Greek, Ἡ Μεγάλη Σύνταξις, "The Great Treatise", originally Μαθηματικὴ Σύνταξις, "Mathematical Treatise"). The second is the Geography, which is a thorough discussion of the geographic knowledge of the Greco-Roman world. The third is the astrological treatise known sometimes in Greek as the Apotelesmatika (Ἀποτελεσματικά), more commonly in Greek as the Tetrabiblos (Τετράβιβλος "Four books"), and in Latin as the Quadripartitum (or four books) in which he attempted to adapt horoscopic astrology to the Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day.
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Quaestura exercitus
The quaestura exercitus was a peculiar administrative district of the Eastern Roman Empire with a seat in Odessus established by Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565) on May 18, 536.
Territorially, the quaestura exercitus contained the Roman provinces of Moesia Inferior and Scythia Minor, located in the lower Danube region, as well as the provinces of Cyprus, Caria, and the Aegean Islands (i.e. the Cyclades). All of these provinces were detached from the Praetorian prefecture of the East and placed under the authority of a new army official known as the quaestor exercitus ("Quaestor of the army"). The authority of the quaestor was the equivalent to that of a magister militum. Since the strategically vital Danubian provinces were economically impoverished, the purpose of the quaestura exercitus was to help support the troops that were stationed there. By connecting the lower Danubian provinces with wealthier provinces, Justinian was able to transport supplies via the Black Sea. This territorial restructuring relieved both the destitute populations and devastated countryside of the Danubian provinces from sustaining any stationed troops. Unfortunately, there is a lack of subsequent evidence on the history of the quaestura exercitus. However, since the position of quaestor was still existent during the mid-570s, this indicates that the overall territorial unit achieved a modicum of success.
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Sequani
Sequani, in ancient geography, were a Gallic people who occupied the upper river basin of the Arar (Saône), the valley of the Doubs and the Jura Mountains, their territory corresponding to Franche-Comté and part of Burgundy.
Sequani is an exonym assigned by the Romans, most likely based on a similar-sounding endonym. The endonym is not known for certain. Sequani is like Sequana, Caesar's name for the Seine, but the country of the Sequani is not in the Seine's watershed. Strabo was originally responsible for the folk-etymologic connection by supposing that the Sequana flowed through the country of the Sequani, a geographic error. The French name of the Saône, however, the river forming the western border of the Sequani, derives from Celtic Souconna. The Romans called it the Arar. William Smith hypothesized that Sequani and Souconna were related.
The country of the Sequani can be defined by the reports of the ancient writers. The Jura Mountains separated the Sequani from the Helvetii on the east, but the mountains belonged to the Sequani, as the narrow pass between the Rhone and Lake Geneva was Sequanian. They did not occupy the confluence of the Saône into the Rhone, as the Helvetii plundered the lands of the Aedui there. Extending a line westward from the Jura estimates the southern border at about Mâcon, but Mâcon belonged to the Aedui.Strabo says that the Arar separates the Sequani from the Aedui and the Lingones, which means that the Sequani were on the left, or eastern, bank of the Saône only. On the northeast corner the country of the Sequani touched on the Rhine.
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Strabo
Strabo,,[pronunciation?], also written Strabon (Greek: Στράβων; 64/63 BC – ca. AD 24), was a Greek geographer, philosopher and historian.
Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus (modern Amasya, Turkey), a city that he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea. His mother was Georgian. Pontus had recently fallen to the Roman Republic, and although politically he was a proponent of Roman imperialism, Strabo belonged on his mother's side to a prominent family whose members had held important positions under the resisting regime of King Mithridates VI of Pontus.
Strabo's life was characterized by extensive travels. He journeyed to Egypt and Kush, as far west as coastal Tuscany and as far south as Ethiopia in addition to his travels in Asia Minor and time spent in Rome. Travel throughout the Mediterranean and Near East, especially for scholarly purposes, was popular during this era and was facilitated by the relative peace enjoyed throughout the reign of Augustus (27 BC – AD 14). He moved to Rome in 44 BC, and stayed there, studying and writing, until at least 31 BC. In 29 BC, on his way to Corinth (where Augustus was at the time), he visited the island of Gyaros in the Aegean Sea. Around 25 BC, he sailed up the Nile until reaching Philae, after which point there is little record of his proceedings until 17 AD.
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Trojan war
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably through Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy; the Odyssey describes Odysseus's journey home. Other parts of the war are contained in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived through fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets including Virgil and Ovid.
The war originated from a quarrel between the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, gave them a golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord, marked "for the fairest". Zeus sent the goddesses to Paris, who judged that Aphrodite, as the "fairest", should receive the apple. In exchange, Aphrodite made Helen, the most beautiful of all women and wife of Menelaus, fall in love with Paris, who took her to Troy. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and the brother of Helen's husband Menelaus, led an expedition of Achaean troops to Troy and besieged the city for ten years because of Paris' insult. After the deaths of many heroes, including the Achaeans Achilles and Ajax, and the Trojans Hector and Paris, the city fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse. The Achaeans slaughtered the Trojans (except for some of the women and children whom they kept or sold as slaves) and desecrated the temples, thus earning the gods' wrath. Few of the Achaeans returned safely to their homes and many founded colonies in distant shores. The Romans later traced their origin to Aeneas, one of the Trojans, who was said to have led the surviving Trojans to modern day Italy.
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Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" (Turkish: singular: Türk, plural: Türkler), are a nation and ethnic group primarily living in Turkey, and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities have been established in the Balkans, the island of Cyprus, the Levant, Meskhetia, and North Africa. The Turkish minorities are the second largest ethnic groups in Bulgaria and Cyprus. In addition, due to modern migration, a Turkish diaspora has been established, particularly in Western Europe (see Turks in Europe), where large communities have been formed in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. There are also Turkish communities living in Australia, the former Soviet Union and the United States.
Although Turkic languages may have been spoken as early as 600 BC, the name "Turk" first appeared in Chinese sources and derives from the term "Tujue" (T’u-chue), meaning "strong" or "powerful", which was used in the 6th century C.E. to refer to the Göktürks.
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Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe who in 429 under king Genseric entered Africa and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Malta and the Balearics. In 455, they sacked the city of Rome. Their kingdom collapsed in the Vandalic War of 533–4, in which Justinian I managed to reconquer the Africa province for the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.
Renaissance and Early Modern writers characterized the Vandals as barbarians, "sacking and looting" Rome. This led to the use of the term "vandalism", to describe any senseless destruction, particularly the "barbarian" defacing of artworks. However, modern historians tend to regard the Vandals during the transitional period (from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages) as perpetuators, not destroyers, of Roman culture.
The name of the Vandals has often been connected to that of Vendel,[citation needed] the name of a province in Uppland, Sweden, which is also eponymous of the Vendel period of Swedish prehistory, corresponding to the late Germanic Iron Age leading up to the Viking Age. The connection would be that Vendel is the original homeland of the Vandals prior to the Migration Period, and retains their tribal name as a toponym.
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Majorca - Balearic Islands - Spain
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:01
- Updated: 02 Feb 2013
Majorca is the largest island of Spain. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Balearic Islands archipelago, one of the autonomous communities of Spain. The name derives from Latin insula maior, "larger island"; later Maiorica. The capital of the island, Palma, is also...
http://wn.com/Majorca_Balearic_Islands_Spain
Majorca is the largest island of Spain. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Balearic Islands archipelago, one of the autonomous communities of Spain. The name derives from Latin insula maior, "larger island"; later Maiorica. The capital of the island, Palma, is also...
The Balearic Islands, the call of the Mediterranean
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:52
- Updated: 31 Aug 2012
www.spain.info Situated in a privileged part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Balearic Islands boast a mild climate that makes tourism possible all year round. It also offers magnificent facilities for visitors. www.spain.info
http://wn.com/The_Balearic_Islands,_the_call_of_the_Mediterranean
www.spain.info Situated in a privileged part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Balearic Islands boast a mild climate that makes tourism possible all year round. It also offers magnificent facilities for visitors. www.spain.info
- published: 05 Jun 2009
- views: 5900
- author: spain
Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:14
- Updated: 28 May 2012
Sun sand sea
http://wn.com/Balearic_Islands
MAGNIFICENT MAJORCA (BALEARIC ISLANDS, SPAIN)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:48
- Updated: 23 Feb 2013
(See also youtu.be Majorca, the largest of the Balearics, is an island of great beauty. Most of its 'treasures' lie to the North, where we find the ancient Roman towns of Alcudia and Pollenca (with the 365 steps of the 'Way of the Cross'), as well as Valldemossa and the artists' haven of Deia, along with its finest beaches and most spectacular caves. (May 2002, 2003 & 2007)
http://wn.com/MAGNIFICENT_MAJORCA_BALEARIC_ISLANDS,_SPAIN
(See also youtu.be Majorca, the largest of the Balearics, is an island of great beauty. Most of its 'treasures' lie to the North, where we find the ancient Roman towns of Alcudia and Pollenca (with the 365 steps of the 'Way of the Cross'), as well as Valldemossa and the artists' haven of Deia, along with its finest beaches and most spectacular caves. (May 2002, 2003 & 2007)
- published: 18 Oct 2010
- views: 2634
- author: Cornishpastyman1
Rafael Nadal - Advertisement - Balearic Islands (eng spot)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:24
- Updated: 04 Feb 2013
www.illesbalears.es Official tourism website^^^ Interested in the Yacht? Go here: www.yachtimagine.com
http://wn.com/Rafael_Nadal_Advertisement_Balearic_Islands_eng_spot
www.illesbalears.es Official tourism website^^^ Interested in the Yacht? Go here: www.yachtimagine.com
- published: 02 Jul 2010
- views: 10759
- author: olg06
Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:44
- Updated: 16 Jun 2012
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The four largest islands are (from largest to smallest): Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, of which the capital city is Palma. The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Spanish and Catalan. ( source Wikipedia )
http://wn.com/Balearic_Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The four largest islands are (from largest to smallest): Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, of which the capital city is Palma. The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Spanish and Catalan. ( source Wikipedia )
- published: 24 Dec 2009
- views: 1377
- author: THEWORLDOFTRAVEL
Minorca - Balearic Islands - Spain
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:04
- Updated: 18 Feb 2013
Minorca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca. Minorca has a population of approximately 88000. It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. Its highest point, called El Toro or Monte Toro, is 358 m/1174 ft above sea level. ( source Wikipedia )
http://wn.com/Minorca_Balearic_Islands_Spain
Minorca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca. Minorca has a population of approximately 88000. It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. Its highest point, called El Toro or Monte Toro, is 358 m/1174 ft above sea level. ( source Wikipedia )
- published: 07 Jul 2010
- views: 3765
- author: THEWORLDOFTRAVEL
X-Plane A Day in the Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:20
- Updated: 29 Nov 2012
This is a re-upload from my previous channel. Sorry it's not in HD. I wasn't doing HD yet when I made this. Neither was Youtube. I filmed this in X-Plane v9.0 beta 15. I'll probably re-upload a few that are gone from cyber space.
http://wn.com/X-Plane_A_Day_in_the_Balearic_Islands
This is a re-upload from my previous channel. Sorry it's not in HD. I wasn't doing HD yet when I made this. Neither was Youtube. I filmed this in X-Plane v9.0 beta 15. I'll probably re-upload a few that are gone from cyber space.
- published: 17 Jul 2009
- views: 1537
- author: ToppervisionEnt
Петр Налич Чайки Nalitch: Seagulls. Balearic Islands. Estellencs. Valldemossa.Palma
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:41
- Updated: 26 Jan 2013
PETER Nalitch Track - Петр Налич Чайки Peter Nalitch - Russian singer and composer, also opera singer, painter and architect. Without any commercial promotion highly popular in Russian Federation and in Europe. hanurpriehal - www.youtube.com - account of Peter Nalitch and Friends on youtube.com Also his photo: www.panoramio.com
http://wn.com/Петр_Налич_Чайки_Nalitch_Seagulls_Balearic_Islands_Estellencs_ValldemossaPalma
PETER Nalitch Track - Петр Налич Чайки Peter Nalitch - Russian singer and composer, also opera singer, painter and architect. Without any commercial promotion highly popular in Russian Federation and in Europe. hanurpriehal - www.youtube.com - account of Peter Nalitch and Friends on youtube.com Also his photo: www.panoramio.com
- published: 25 Jul 2010
- views: 2084
- author: MrPONTEIRO
Formentera Balearic Island 2 of 7
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:24
- Updated: 16 Nov 2012
http://wn.com/Formentera_Balearic_Island_2_of_7
Mediterranean Keith Floyd - The Balearic Islands (Part 2)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:12
- Updated: 28 Dec 2012
mediterraneandiet.tv Keith Floyd (28 December 1943 -- 14 September 2009) was a pioneering British celebrity chef, television personality and restaurateur, who hosted cooking shows and published many books combining cookery and travel. His natural charm and eccentric style of presenting endeared him to millions of viewers worldwide. He became well known for cooking on location with a glass of wine and a silver tongue. He was regarded as a pioneer of taking cooking shows out of the studio. The chef went on to present his shows from around the world, including the Mediterranean, India, Australia and the USA. Some of his favorite foods and wines came from the Southern countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This is essential viewing for The Mediterranean Diet fan. These are timeless classics from Keith Floyd that you can get on Amazon Floyd on Italy: A Celebration of Italian Food and Italy Floyd on France Floyd on Spain Floyd on Fish
http://wn.com/Mediterranean_Keith_Floyd_The_Balearic_Islands_Part_2
mediterraneandiet.tv Keith Floyd (28 December 1943 -- 14 September 2009) was a pioneering British celebrity chef, television personality and restaurateur, who hosted cooking shows and published many books combining cookery and travel. His natural charm and eccentric style of presenting endeared him to millions of viewers worldwide. He became well known for cooking on location with a glass of wine and a silver tongue. He was regarded as a pioneer of taking cooking shows out of the studio. The chef went on to present his shows from around the world, including the Mediterranean, India, Australia and the USA. Some of his favorite foods and wines came from the Southern countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This is essential viewing for The Mediterranean Diet fan. These are timeless classics from Keith Floyd that you can get on Amazon Floyd on Italy: A Celebration of Italian Food and Italy Floyd on France Floyd on Spain Floyd on Fish
- published: 07 May 2012
- views: 1172
- author: Emma Thomas
Formentera Balearic Island 4 of 7
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:19
- Updated: 16 Nov 2012
http://wn.com/Formentera_Balearic_Island_4_of_7
A Travelers Guide To - Spain: Canary Islands & Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 56:54
- Updated: 21 Jan 2013
Canary Islands: The Canary Islands, also called "The Islands of Eternal Spring", is a year-round tourist paradise for millions of travelers eager to enjoy the sun. Our travel guide on video shows Gran Canaria, the center of tourism; Teneriffa, with its variety of nature; Lanzarote, a unique adventure and at last; Fuerteventura, with its exotic appeal to the visitor. Altogether, The Canary Islands has a wide range for everybody, from the active sportsman to the individuals searching physical and mental relaxation. Balearic Islands: Consisting of 16 islands in the Mediterranean Sea, The Balearic Islands have become on of the most attractive tourist centers of Europe. Our travel guide on video presents impressive views from the most famous islands: Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca. See the well known sights of these tourist paradises, but also the less popular regions. Information to history is provided, the beaches and promenades are shown and valuable hints for good food and glamorous night-life are given.
http://wn.com/A_Travelers_Guide_To_Spain_Canary_Islands_Balearic_Islands
Canary Islands: The Canary Islands, also called "The Islands of Eternal Spring", is a year-round tourist paradise for millions of travelers eager to enjoy the sun. Our travel guide on video shows Gran Canaria, the center of tourism; Teneriffa, with its variety of nature; Lanzarote, a unique adventure and at last; Fuerteventura, with its exotic appeal to the visitor. Altogether, The Canary Islands has a wide range for everybody, from the active sportsman to the individuals searching physical and mental relaxation. Balearic Islands: Consisting of 16 islands in the Mediterranean Sea, The Balearic Islands have become on of the most attractive tourist centers of Europe. Our travel guide on video presents impressive views from the most famous islands: Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca. See the well known sights of these tourist paradises, but also the less popular regions. Information to history is provided, the beaches and promenades are shown and valuable hints for good food and glamorous night-life are given.
- published: 18 Jan 2013
- views: 76
- author: TravelVideoStore
Spain: Formentera Balearic Island
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:40
- Updated: 26 Jan 2013
Formentera, an idyllic paradise, is the smallest and least developed of the islands. It's only 30 square miles in total. For years, it was known as the "forgotten Balearic". Formentera has some of the best beaches in the Balearic group; long stretches of white sandy coastline with crystal clear, unspoilt waters. Most people just visit the island for the day. There's a strict limit on the number of hotels that can be built on the island, so places to stay are limited. The bulk of the visitors are British and German.
http://wn.com/Spain_Formentera_Balearic_Island
Formentera, an idyllic paradise, is the smallest and least developed of the islands. It's only 30 square miles in total. For years, it was known as the "forgotten Balearic". Formentera has some of the best beaches in the Balearic group; long stretches of white sandy coastline with crystal clear, unspoilt waters. Most people just visit the island for the day. There's a strict limit on the number of hotels that can be built on the island, so places to stay are limited. The bulk of the visitors are British and German.
- published: 27 Jul 2008
- views: 3556
- author: desiprince786
Balearic Island Sailing Adventure
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:44
- Updated: 30 Jun 2012
Jim Hervieux, a Sail Time Member Captain reflects on the June 2007 sailing adventure around the island of Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands o Spain
http://wn.com/Balearic_Island_Sailing_Adventure
Jim Hervieux, a Sail Time Member Captain reflects on the June 2007 sailing adventure around the island of Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands o Spain
- published: 18 Jul 2007
- views: 2613
- author: SailTimeCa
GoPro - Apnea Diving in Cabrera, Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:54
- Updated: 03 Jun 2012
Apnea Diving in the Balearic Islands
http://wn.com/GoPro_Apnea_Diving_in_Cabrera,_Balearic_Islands
John Mount - Balearic Islands (Original Chill Mix)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:20
- Updated: 06 Feb 2013
A very chill track with some beautiful guitars and house inspired drum beats.
http://wn.com/John_Mount_Balearic_Islands_Original_Chill_Mix
A very chill track with some beautiful guitars and house inspired drum beats.
- published: 03 Sep 2009
- views: 1766
- author: JohnMountMusic
Spain - Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:56
- Updated: 24 Jan 2013
This video features snippets of the corporate video we produced for a large Spanish hotel chain. At the end of the video you will see the out takes
http://wn.com/Spain_Balearic_Islands
This video features snippets of the corporate video we produced for a large Spanish hotel chain. At the end of the video you will see the out takes
- published: 05 Oct 2008
- views: 342
- author: midaNshel
Aerosoft - Sim-wings - Balearic Islands X
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:56
- Updated: 26 Feb 2013
Need a holiday break? Now is the time to fly to the Mediterranean! And just in time SimWings have release their absolutely new scenery of Balearic Islands X. This package features all islands with photorealistic ground textures and the airports of the islands. Release: February 2010 (without guarantee)
http://wn.com/Aerosoft_Sim-wings_Balearic_Islands_X
Need a holiday break? Now is the time to fly to the Mediterranean! And just in time SimWings have release their absolutely new scenery of Balearic Islands X. This package features all islands with photorealistic ground textures and the airports of the islands. Release: February 2010 (without guarantee)
- published: 23 Sep 2010
- views: 12920
- author: Aerosoft GmbH
Floyd on Spain The Balearic Islands Part 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:00
- Updated: 17 Jan 2013
mediterraneandiet.tv Keith Floyd (28 December 1943 -- 14 September 2009) was a pioneering British celebrity chef, television personality and restaurateur, who hosted cooking shows and published many books combining cookery and travel. His natural charm and eccentric style of presenting endeared him to millions of viewers worldwide. He became well known for cooking on location with a glass of wine and a silver tongue. He was regarded as a pioneer of taking cooking shows out of the studio. The chef went on to present his shows from around the world, including the Mediterranean, India, Australia and the USA. Some of his favorite foods and wines came from the Southern countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This is essential viewing for The Mediterranean Diet fan. These are timeless classics from Keith Floyd that you can get on Amazon Floyd on Italy: A Celebration of Italian Food and Italy Floyd on France Floyd on Spain Floyd on Fish
http://wn.com/Floyd_on_Spain_The_Balearic_Islands_Part_1
mediterraneandiet.tv Keith Floyd (28 December 1943 -- 14 September 2009) was a pioneering British celebrity chef, television personality and restaurateur, who hosted cooking shows and published many books combining cookery and travel. His natural charm and eccentric style of presenting endeared him to millions of viewers worldwide. He became well known for cooking on location with a glass of wine and a silver tongue. He was regarded as a pioneer of taking cooking shows out of the studio. The chef went on to present his shows from around the world, including the Mediterranean, India, Australia and the USA. Some of his favorite foods and wines came from the Southern countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This is essential viewing for The Mediterranean Diet fan. These are timeless classics from Keith Floyd that you can get on Amazon Floyd on Italy: A Celebration of Italian Food and Italy Floyd on France Floyd on Spain Floyd on Fish
- published: 07 May 2012
- views: 1420
- author: Emma Thomas
The Balearic Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:09
- Updated: 05 May 2011
A Short Video About The Islands
http://wn.com/The_Balearic_Islands
Alcudia Beach View, Majorca, Mallorca, Spain, Balearic Islands , Summer, August 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:34
- Updated: 17 Feb 2013
Alcudia Beach View, Majorca, Mallorca, Spain, Balearic Islands , Summer, August 2011, Balearics
http://wn.com/Alcudia_Beach_View,_Majorca,_Mallorca,_Spain,_Balearic_Islands_,_Summer,_August_2011
Alcudia Beach View, Majorca, Mallorca, Spain, Balearic Islands , Summer, August 2011, Balearics
- published: 29 Aug 2011
- views: 9417
- author: bellywipes
10 C`an Botana Pollensa, Mallorca, Balearic Islands Presented by Euro Direct Rentals
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:44
- Updated: 04 Jan 2013
Spacious Family Villa Sleeps 4 - 5 people, with Swimming Pool in Pollensa, Mallorca, Balearic Islands www.eurodirectrentals.co.uk Music - TheGuitar by unknown
http://wn.com/10_C`an_Botana_Pollensa,_Mallorca,_Balearic_Islands_Presented_by_Euro_Direct_Rentals
Spacious Family Villa Sleeps 4 - 5 people, with Swimming Pool in Pollensa, Mallorca, Balearic Islands www.eurodirectrentals.co.uk Music - TheGuitar by unknown
- published: 31 Dec 2010
- views: 266
- author: EuroDirectRentals
photo: AP / Ibrahim Zayed
26 Feb 2013
Updated. February 26, 2013 8.35AM. LUXOR, Egypt — A hot air balloon flying over Egypt’s ancient city of Luxor caught fire and crashed into a sugar cane field on Tuesday, killing at least 19 foreign tourists in one of the world’s deadliest ballooning accidents and handing a new blow to Egypt’s ailing tourism industry ... The balloon then shot up in the air, the investigator said ... The security official said all 18 bodies have been recovered ... ....(size: 6.2Kb)
photo: AP / Michael Sohn
28 Feb 2013
Pope Benedict pledged his "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his successor Thursday, then left the Vatican as the first Roman Catholic Church leader to resign in 600 years. Benedict flew from the Vatican by helicopter to the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo near Rome, several hours before his eight-year papacy was to end officially at 8 p.m., local time (1900 UTC) ... Peter's Square after he left ... ....(size: 2.5Kb)
photo: Russian Presidential Press and Information Office
27 Feb 2013
Russian President Vladimir Putin told the country's top brass on Wednesday to drastically upgrade the armed forces in the next few years as part of response to attempts by the United States and NATO to "tip the strategic balance" in the world. In his address to Russia's defense ministry and top military officials, Putin said Russia is witnessing "insistent attempts" to change that balance and complained about U.S ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
photo: USAF / Tech. Sgt. Effrain Lopez
26 Feb 2013
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. During the 19th and early 20th centuries developments in technology vastly transformed warfare. The age of machine guns, steam-powered battle ships, and tanks replaced the era of flintlock muskets, sailing wooden ships, and cannonballs. But these new and more lethal innovations also altered humanity and political systems ... World War I and II ... They will subversively disrupt entire societies....(size: 4.8Kb)
photo: US Coast Guard / PO1 Matthew Belson
27 Feb 2013
A senior BP executive has told a US court that the oil giant was not solely responsible for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Rig operator Transocean and contractor Halliburton must also bear portions of the blame for the explosion and resulting spill, Lamar McKay said. The trial, in New Orleans, will determine liability for the spill ... It has also paid $7.8bn in a settlement with people and businesses affected. 'Team effort' ... ....(size: 5.3Kb)
RTE
28 Feb 2013
Balearic Islands. The Balearic Islands, located off the east coast of Spain in the calm, warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, remain very popular from May to September ... Majorca, the biggest of the islands, offer great family friendly resorts in Santa Ponsa and Magaluf; Minorca is home to some amazing tranquil beaches, which proves popular for ......(size: 9.1Kb)
noodls
28 Feb 2013
(Source. Prime Minister's Office of Spain) ... Emitting markets ... The largest impact of this increase in spending was felt in the Canary Islands ... Main destination Autonomous Regions. The Canary Islands was the destination posting the largest volume of tourist expenditure; 1.02 billion euros and an increase of 3.4% when compared with January 2012 ... In the Balearic Islands spending grew by 10.7% to a total of 105 million euros ... (noodl....(size: 3.9Kb)
noodls
28 Feb 2013
(Source. Banco de Sabadell SA) ... This new campaign will run until 30th April and is complementary to the campaign launched last October with excellent results ... The reduction in prices makes it possible to obtain an immediate return by letting." ... 70% of the properties that form a part of this campaign are located either along the Mediterranean coast or on the Balearic Islands, with another 5% in Madrid and its metropolitan area ... (noodl....(size: 4.0Kb)
Wall Street Journal
26 Feb 2013
By ILAN BRAT ... The son-in-law, Iñaki Urdangarin, sought in a weekend court appearance to distance the monarchy from his business activities, but the case has helped raise the ire of a population frustrated by government budget cuts and corruption scandals ... Mr ... Authorities are investigating, among other things, whether Nóos charged the regional governments of the Balearic Islands and Valencia for services it didn't provide. Mr ... Mr ... Mr....(size: 5.0Kb)
noodls
25 Feb 2013
The Canary Islands was the region visited by the largest number of tourists (884,702), although the greater year-on-year growth was recorded by the regions of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencia ... The Canary Islands (the destination for 52% of German tourists to Spain) recorded the largest decline ... The same happened in the Balearic Islands, where the number of inbound tourists rose by 16% (to 99,220)....(size: 3.7Kb)
BBC News
23 Feb 2013
But the Balearic islands are under particular suspicion - linked to a third of the current scandals ... One of the most famous scandals linked to the Balearic Islands is known as Palma Arena - a complicated web of investigations which have led to allegations against Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma and the Spanish king's son-in-law ... Around a third of those politicians were, or are, in office in the Balearic Islands....(size: 6.1Kb)
The Star
23 Feb 2013
Duke of Palma de Mallorca Inaki Urdangarin, son-in-law of Spain's King Juan Carlos, arrives at court to testify before a judge in a case of suspected fraud embezzlement, in Palma de Mallorca on the Spanish Balearic island, February 23, 2013 ... "It's a disgrace for our islands that have been so supportive of the royal family," said Esperanza Ruiz, a resident of Palma, as she shopped in a supermarket near the courthouse....(size: 5.3Kb)
The Los Angeles Times
23 Feb 2013
He and Torres are accused of illegally obtaining no-bid contracts from regional governments in Valencia and the Balearic Islands, then overcharging them by at least $7.5 million for conventions organized by Noos ... Authorities in the town of Palma de Mallorca, the island's capital, wrote to Urdangarin last month requesting that he give up his title of Duke of Palma....(size: 5.7Kb)
The Star
23 Feb 2013
Duke of Palma de Mallorca Inaki Urdangarin, son-in-law of Spain's King Juan Carlos, arrives at court to testify before a judge in a case of suspected fraud embezzlement, in Palma de Mallorca on the Spanish Balearic island, February 23, 2013 ... "It's a disgrace for our islands that have been so supportive of the royal family," said Esperanza Ruiz, a resident of Palma, as she shopped in a supermarket near the courthouse....(size: 5.5Kb)
noodls
22 Feb 2013
Participants this year were involved in activities in Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla (9,762), Catalonia (9,406), the Balearic Islands (5,243), Aragón (3,096), Galicia and Castile and León (1.660), the Canary Islands (1,522) and other areas (84) ... Having toured the Canary Islands and Andalusia, the workshop is currently in Madrid, after which it will be taken to Galicia, Aragón, the Balearic Islands and Catalonia ... Balearic Islands....(size: 7.7Kb)
Sydney Morning Herald
22 Feb 2013
The Guardian
22 Feb 2013
... of Dukes of Palma by the king after she married the Olympic-medal winning handball player in 1997, has reached a fresh peak as Urdangarin prepares to appear before Castro to answer more questions about the multimillion-euro deals struck by the supposedly not-for-profit Nóos Institute with regional governments in Valencia and the Balearic Islands....(size: 5.7Kb)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
22 Feb 2013
But most of the photographs of the dashing Duke of Palma, the king's son-in-law, were scrubbed from the site last month ... Mr ... They include boasts by Mr ... Ms ... Torres received about $8 million from the regional governments of the Balearic Islands and Valencia to organize sports and tourism events, and then redirected much of the money to offshore accounts and private businesses, including a real estate firm jointly operated by Mr ... ....(size: 8.3Kb)
 |
This article's introduction section may not adequately summarize its contents. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, please consider modifying the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points in such a way that it can stand on its own as a concise version of the article. (discuss). (June 2011) |
| Balearic Islands Illes Balears (Catalan) Islas Baleares (Spanish) |
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|---|---|---|---|
| — Autonomous Community — | |||
| Illes Balears1 | |||
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| Anthem: La Balanguera | |||
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| Coordinates: 39°30′N 3°00′E / 39.5°N 3°E / 39.5; 3Coordinates: 39°30′N 3°00′E / 39.5°N 3°E / 39.5; 3 | |||
| Country | Spain | ||
| Capital | Palma | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Devolved government in a constitutional monarchy | ||
| • Body | Govern de les Illes Balears | ||
| • President | José Ramón Bauzà (PP) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 4,992 km2 (1,927 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 17th (1.0% of Spain) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 1,106,049 | ||
| • Density | 220/km2 (570/sq mi) | ||
| • Pop. rank | 14th (2.3% of Spain) | ||
| Demonym | Balearic balear (m/f) balear (m/f) |
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| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | IB | ||
| Area code | +34 971 | ||
| Official languages | Catalan and Spanish | ||
| Statute of Autonomy | 1 March 1982 1 March 2007 |
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| Legislature | |||
| Parliament | 59 deputies | ||
| Congress | 8 deputies (out of 350) | ||
| Senate | 6 senators (out of 264) | ||
| Website | Govern de les Illes Balears | ||
| 1.^ According to the current legislation the official name is in Catalan Illes Balears. | |||
The Balearic Islands (English /ˌbæliˈærɨk ˈaɪləndz/; Catalan: Illes Balears [ˈiʎəz βəɫəˈas]; Spanish: Islas Baleares [ˈizlaz βaleˈaɾes])[1] are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain, with Palma as the capital city. The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Catalan and Castillan Spanish. The current Statute of Autonomy declares the Balearic Islands as one nationality of Spain.
Contents |
Etymology[link]
The official name of the Balearic Islands is in Catalan, Illes Balears, while in Spanish they are known as the Islas Baleares. The term "Balearic" derives from Greek (Γυμνησίαι/Gymnesiae and Βαλλιαρεῖς/Balliareis)[2] and Latin (Baleares).
There are various theories on the origins of the two ancient Greek and Latin names for the islands — Gymnasiae and Baleares. Two survive in classical sources.
According to the Lycophron's Alexandra verses, the islands were called Gymnesiae Γυμνησίαι (gymnos γυμνός, meaning naked in Greek) because its inhabitants were often nude, probably because of the year-long benevolent climate.
The Greek and Roman writers generally derive the name of the people from their skill as slingers (baleareis βαλεαρεῖς, from ballo βάλλω: ancient Greek meaning for 'to launch'), although Strabo considered the name to be of Phoenician origin. He observed that it was the Phoenician equivalent for lightly armoured soldiers the Greeks would have called gymnetas γυμνῆτας.[3]
The root bal does point to a Phoenician origin; perhaps the islands were sacred to the god Baal; and the accidental resemblance to the Greek root ΒΑΛ (in βάλλω ballo), coupled with the occupation of the people, would be quite a sufficient foundation for the usual Greek practice of assimilating the name to their own language. That it was not, however, Greek at first, may be inferred with great probability from the fact that the common Greek name of the islands is not Βαλεαρεῖς (Baleareis), but Γυμνησίαι (Gymnesiai), the former being the name used by the natives, as well as by the Carthaginians and Romans.[4] The latter name, of which two fancied etymologies have been already referred to, is probably derived from the light equipment of the Balearic troops (gymnetae γυμνῆται).[3]
History[link]
Ancient history[link]
There is little history on the earliest inhabitants of the islands, though many legends exist. The story, preserved by Lycophron, that certain shipwrecked Boeotians were cast nude on the islands, was evidently invented to account for the name Gymnesiae. There is also a tradition that the islands were colonized by Rhodes after the Trojan war.[3]
The islands had a very mixed population, of whose name of the islands (an instance of folk etymology) – until the Phoenicians clothed them with broad-bordered tunics. In other stories they were naked only in the heat of summer.
Other legends hold that the inhabitants lived in hollow rocks and artificial caves, that they were remarkable for their love of women and would give three or four men as the ransom for one woman, that they had no gold or silver coin, and forbade the importation of the precious metals, so that those of them who served as mercenaries took their pay in wine and women instead of money. Their marriage and funeral customs, peculiar to Roman observers, are related by Diodorus Siculus (v. 18).
In ancient times, the islanders of the Gymnesian Islands constructed talayots, and were famous for their skill with the sling. As slingers they served, as mercenaries, first under the Carthaginians, and afterwards under the Romans. They went into battle ungirt, with only a small buckler, and a javelin burnt at the end, and in some cases tipped with a small iron point; but their effective weapons were their slings, of which each man carried three, wound round his head (Strabo p. 168; Eustath.), or, as seen in other sources, one round the head, one round the body, and one in the hand. (Diodorus) The three slings were of different lengths, for stones of different sizes; the largest they hurled with as much force as if it were flung from a catapult; and they seldom missed their mark. To this exercise they were trained from infancy, in order to earn their livelihood as mercenary soldiers. It is said that the mothers allowed their children to eat bread only when they had struck it off a post with the sling.[5]
The Phoenicians took possession of the islands in very early times;[6] a remarkable trace of their colonization is preserved in the town of Mago (Mahon in Minorca). After the fall of Carthage, the islands seem to have been virtually independent. Notwithstanding their celebrity in war, the people were generally very quiet and inoffensive.[7] The Romans, however, easily found a pretext for charging them with complicity with the Mediterranean pirates, and they were conquered by Q. Caecilius Metellus, thence surnamed Balearicus, in 123 BC.[8] Metellus settled 3,000 Roman and Spanish colonists on the larger island, and founded the cities of Palma and Pollentia.[9] The islands belonged, under the Roman Empire, to the conventus of Carthago Nova (modern Cartagena), in the province of Hispania Tarraconensis, of which province they formed, the fourth district, under the government of a praefectus pro legato. An inscription of the time of Nero mentions the PRAEF. PRAE LEGATO INSULAR. BALIARUM. (Orelli, No. 732, who, with Muratori, reads pro for prae.) They were afterwards made a separate province, called Hispania Balearica, probably in the division of the empire under Constantine.[10]
The two largest islands (the Balearic Islands, in their historical sense) had numerous excellent harbours, though rocky at their mouth, and requiring care in entering them (Strabo, Eustath.; Port Mahon is one of the finest harbours in the world). Both were extremely fertile in all produce, except wine and olive oil.[11] They were celebrated for their cattle, especially for the mules of the lesser island; they had an immense number of rabbits, and were free from all venomous reptiles.[12] Among the snails valued by the Romans as a diet, was a species from the Balearic isles, called cavaticae, from their being bred in caves.[13] Their chief mineral product was the red earth, called sinope, which was used by painters.[14] Their resin and pitch are mentioned by Dioscorides[15] The population of the two islands is stated by Diodorus at 30,000.
The part of the Mediterranean east of Spain, around the Balearic Isles, was called "Mare Balearicum",[16] or "Sinus Balearicus".[17]
Medieval period[link]
Late Roman and Early Islamic Eras
The Vandals under Genseric conquered the Islands sometime between 461 and 468 during their war on the Roman Empire. However in late 533 or early 534, following the Battle of Ad Decimum, the troops of Belisarius reestablished control of the islands by the empire. Imperial power receded precipitously in the western Mediterranean after the fall of Carthage and the Exarchate of Africa to the Umayyad Caliphate in 698 and in 707 the islands submitted to the generous terms of an Umayyad fleet, which allowed the residents to maintain their traditions and religion as well as a high degree of autonomy. Now nominally both Byzantine and Umayyad, the de facto independent islands occupied a strategic and profitable grey area between the competing religions and kingdoms of the western Mediterranean. The prosperous islands was thoroughly sacked by the Swedish Viking King Björn Ironside and his brother Hastein during their Mediterranean raid of 859-862.
In 902 the heavy use of the islands as a pirate base provoked the Emirate of Cordoba, nominally the island's overlords, to invade and incorporate the islands into their state. However, the Cordoban emirate disintegrated in civil war and partition in the early eleventh century, breaking into smaller states called taifa. Mujahid al-Siqlabi, the ruler of the Taifa of Dénia sent a fleet and seized control of the islands in 1015, using it as the base for subsequent expeditions to Sardinia and Pisa. In 1050, the island's governor Abd Allah ibn Aglab rebelled and established the independent Taifa of Majorca.
The Crusade against the Balearics
- (Main Article: 1113-1115 Balearic Islands expedition)
For centuries, the Balearic sailors and pirates had been masters of the western Mediterranean. But the expanding influence of the Italian Maritime Republics and the shift of power on the Iberian peninsula from the Muslim states to the Christian states left the islands vulnerable. A crusade was launched in 1113. Led Ugo da Parlascio Ebriaco and Archbishop Pietro Moriconi of the Republic of Pisa the expedition included 420 ship and a large army and a personal envoy from Pope Paschal II. In addition to the Pisan (who had been promised suzerainty over the islands by the Pope), the expedition included forces from the Italian cities of Florence, Lucca, Pistoia, Rome, Siena, and Volterra, from Sardinia and Corsica, Catalan forces under Ramon Berenguer, Hug II of Empúries, and Ramon Folc II of Cardona came from Spain and occitanian forces under William V of Montpellier, Aimeric II of Narbonne, and Raymond I of Baux came from France. The expedition also received strong support from Constantine I of Logudoro and his base of Porto Torres.
The crusade sacked Palma in 1115 and generally reduced the islands, ending its period as a great sea power, but then withdrew. WIthin a year, the now shattered islands were conquered by the Berber Almoravid dynasty, whose aggressive, militant approach to religion mirrored that of the crusaders and departed from the island's history as a tolerant haven under Cordoba and the taifa. The Almoravid's were conquered and deposed in North Africa and on the Iberian Peninsula by the rival Almohad Dynasty of Marrakech in 1147. Muhammad ibn Ganiya, the Almoravid claimant, fled to Palma and established his capital there. His dynasty, the Banu Ghaniya, sought allies in their effort to recover their kingdom from the Almohad, leading them to grant Genoa and Pisa their first commercial concessions on the islands. In 1184, an expedition was sent to recapture Ifriqiya (the coastal areas of what is today Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and western Libya) but ended in defeat. Fearing reprisals, the inhabitants of the Balearics rebelled against the Almoravid and accepted Almohad suzerainty in 1187.
Reconquista
On the last day of 1229, King James I of Aragon captured Palma after three months of siege. The rest of Majorca quickly followed. Minorca fell the following year and Ibiza in 1230. In 1236, James traded most of the islands to Peter I, Count of Urgell for Urgell, which he incorporated into his kingdom. Peter ruled from Palma, but after his death without issue in 1258, the islands reverted by the terms of the deal to the Crown of Aragon.
(Main Article: Kingdom of Majorca
James died in 1276, partitioning his domains between his sons in his will. The will created a new Kingdom of Mallorca from the Balearic islands and the mainland counties of Roussillon or Montpellier, which was left to his son James II. However, the terms of the will specified that the new kingdom be a vassal state to the Kingdom of Aragon, which was left to his older brother Peter. Chaffing under the vassalage, James joined forces with the Pope Martin IV and Philip III of France against his brother in the Aragonese Crusade, leading to a 10 year Aragonese occupation before the islands were restored in the 1295 Treaty of Anagni. The tension between the kingdoms continued through the generations until James' grandson James III was killed by the invading army of Peter's grandson Peter IV at the 1349 Battle of Llucmajor. The Balearic Islands were then incorporated directly into the kingdom of Aragon.
Modern period[link]
In 1476, Ferdinand II of Aragon (king of Aragon) and Isabella I of Castile (queen of Castile) were married. After their deaths, their respective territories (until then governed separately) were governed jointly, in the person of their grandson, the Emperor Charles V. This can be considered the foundation of the modern Spanish state, albeit a decentralized one wherein the various component territories within the united crowns retained their particular historic laws and privileges.
The Balearic Islands were frequently attacked by Barbary pirates from North Africa; Formentera was even temporarily abandoned by its population. In 1514, 1515 and 1521 the coasts of the Balearic Islands and the Spanish mainland were raided by Turkish privateers under the command of the Ottoman admiral, Hayreddin Barbarossa.
The island of Minorca was a British dependency for most of the 18th century as a result of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. This treaty—signed by the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Portugal as well as the Kingdom of Spain, to end the conflict caused by the War of the Spanish Succession--gave Gibraltar and Minorca to the Kingdom of Great Britain, Sardinia to Austria (both territories had been part of the Crown of Aragon for more than four centuries), and Sicily to the House of Savoy. In addition, Flanders and other European territories of the Spanish Crown were given to Austria. The island fell to French forces, under Armand de Vignerot du Plessis in June 1756 and was occupied by them for the duration of the Seven Years War. The British re-occupied the island after the war but, with their military forces diverted away by the American War of Independence, it fell to a Franco-Spanish force after a seven-month siege (1781/2). Spain retained it under the Treaty of Paris in 1783. However during the French Revolutionary Wars, when Spain became an ally of France, it came under French rule.
Minorca was finally returned to Spain by the Treaty of Amiens during the French Revolutionary Wars, following the last British occupation, which lasted from 1798 to 1802. The continued presence of British naval forces, however, meant that the Balaerics were never occupied by the French during the Napoleonic Wars.
Geography and hydrography[link]
The main islands of the autonomous are Majorca (Mallorca), Minorca (Menorca), Ibiza (Eivissa) and Formentera, all of which are popular tourist destinations. Among the minor islands is Cabrera, which is the location of the Parc Nacional de l'Arxipèlag de Cabrera.
The islands can be further grouped, with Majorca, Menorca, and Cabrera as the Gymnesian Islands (Illes Gimnèsies), and Ibiza and Formentera as the Pitiusic Islands (Illes Pitiüses officially in catalan), also referenced as the Pityuses (or sometimes informally in English as the Pine Islands). There are many minor islands or islets close to the biggest islands, like Es Conills, Es Vedrà, Sa Conillera, Sa Dragonera, S'Espalmador, S'Espardell, Ses Bledes, Santa Eulària, Plana, Foradada, Tagomago, Na Redona, Colom, L'Aire, etc.
The Balearic Front is a sea density regime north of the Balearic Islands on the shelf slope of the Balearic Islands, which is responsible for some of the surface flow characteristics of the Balearic Sea.[18]
Administration[link]
| Insular council (official name in catalan) |
Population | % total of Baleares | Density (habitants/km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majorca (Mallorca) | 777.821 | 79,12% | 214,84 |
| Ibiza (Eivissa) | 111.107 | 11,30% | 193,22 |
| Minorca (Menorca) | 86.697 | 8,82% | 124,85 |
| Formentera (Formentera) | 7.506 | 0,76% | 90,17 |
Each one of the four main islands are administered, along with their surrounding minor islands and islets, by an insular council (consell insular in catalan) of the same name; these four insular councils are the first level of subdivision in the autonomous community (and province) of the Baleares.
Before the administrative reform of 1977, the two insular councils of Ibiza of Formentera were forming in a single one (covering the whole group of the Pitiusic Islands).
This level is further subdivided into six comarcas only in the insular council of Mallorca; the three other insular councils are not subdivided into separate comarcas, but are themselves assimilated each one to a comarca covering the same territory as the insular council.
These nine comarcas are then subdivided into municipalities (municipios), with the exception of Formentera which is at the same time an insular council, a comarca, and a municipality.
Note that the maritime and terrestrial natural reserves in the Balearic Islands are not owned by the municipalities, even if they fall within their territory, but are owned and managed by the respective insular councils from which they depend.
Those municipalities are further subdivided into civil parishes (parroquias), that are slightly larger than the traditional religious parishes, themselves subdivided (only in Ibiza and Formentera) into administrative villages (named véndas in catalan); each vénda is grouping several nearby hamlets (casaments) and their immediate surrounding lands — these casaments are traditionally formed by grouping together several cubic houses to form a defensive parallelepiped with windows open to the East (against heat), sharing their collected precious water ressources, whose residents are deciding and planning some common collective works.
However these last levels of subdivisions of municipalities do not have their own local administration: they are mostly as the natural economical units for agricultural exploitation (and consequently referenced in local norms for constructions and urbanisation as well) and are the reference space for families (so they may be appended to the names of peoples and their land/housing properties) and are still used in statistics. Historically, these structures have been used for defensive purpose as well, and were more tied to the local catholic church and parishes (notably after the Reconquista).
References[link]
- ^ Ley 3/1986, de 19 de abril, de normalización linguística. Ley 13/1997, de 25 de abril, por la que pasa a denominarse oficialmente Illes Balears la Provincia de Baleares. Ley Orgánica 1/2007, de 28 de febrero, de reforma del Estatuto de Autonomía de las Illes Balears.
- ^ Diod. v. 17, Eustath. ad Dion. 457; Baliareis – Βαλιαρεῖς, Baliarides – Βαλιαρίδες, Steph. B.; Balearides – Βαλεαρίδες, Strabo; Balliarides – Βαλλιαρίδες, Ptol. ii. 6. § 78; Baleariae – Βαλεαρίαι Agathem.
- ^ a b c Strab. xiv. p. 654; Plin. l. c "The Rhodians, like the Baleares, were celebrated slingers"
Sil. Ital. iii. 364, 365: "Jam cui Tlepolemus sator, et cui Lindus origo, Funda bella ferens Balearis et alite plumbo." - ^ Plin.; Agathem.; Dion Cass. ap. Tzetz. ad Lycophr. 533; Eustath.
- ^ Strabo; Diod.; Flor. iii. 8; Tzetzes ad Lycophron.
- ^ Strabo iii. pp. 167, 168.
- ^ Strabo; but Florus gives them a worse character, iii. 8.
- ^ Livy Epit. Ix.; Freinsh. Supp. lx. 37; Florus, Strabo ll. cc.
- ^ Strabo, Pomponius Mela, Pliny the Elder.
- ^ Notitia Dignitatum Occid. c. xx. vol. ii. p. 466, Böcking.
- ^ Aristot. de Mir. Ausc. 89; Diodorus, but Pliny praises their wine as well as their corn, xiv. 6. s. 8, xviii. 7. s. 12: the two writers are speaking, in fact, of different periods.
- ^ Strabo, Mela; Pliny l. c., viii. 58. s. 83, xxxv. 19. s. 59; Varro, R. R. iii. 12; Aelian, H. A. xiii. 15; Gaius Julius Solinus 26.
- ^ Pliny xxx. 6. s. 15.
- ^ Pliny xxxv. 6. s. 13; Vitruv. vii. 7.
- ^ Materia Medica i. 92.
- ^ τὸ Βαλλεαρικὸν πέλαγος, Ptol. ii 4. § 3.
- ^ Flor. iii. 6. § 9.
- ^ C.Michael Hogan. 2011. Balearic Sea. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC
- ^ Fuente: INE Instituto Nacional de Estadística de España (01-01-2005)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–57). "article name needed". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Balearic Islands |
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Balearic Islands. |
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Wikisource has the text of the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article Balearic Isles. |
See also[link]
- President of the Balearic Islands
- List of municipalities in the Balearic Islands
- Gymnesian Islands (Illes Gimnèsies)
- Majorca (Mallorca)
- Palma (Palma)
- Dragonera (Sa Dragonera)
- Battle of Majorca
- Minorca (Menorca)
- Majorca (Mallorca)
- Pitiusic Islands (Illes Pitiüses)
- Ibiza (Eivissa)
- Ibiza Town (Vila d'Eivissa or Vila)
- Formentera (Formentera)
- Ibiza (Eivissa)
- Balearic cuisine
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Related pages:
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http://es.wn.com/Islas Baleares
http://ru.wn.com/Балеарские острова
http://cs.wn.com/Baleáry
http://pt.wn.com/Baleares
http://pl.wn.com/Baleary
http://it.wn.com/Isole Baleari
http://id.wn.com/Kepulauan Balears
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http://fr.wn.com/Îles Baléares
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This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Nadal and the second or maternal family name is Parera.
 Rafael Nadal in 2012 |
|
| Full name | Rafael Nadal Parera |
|---|---|
| Country |  Spain |
| Residence |  Manacor, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain |
| Born | (1986-06-03) 3 June 1986 (age 26) Manacor, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 85 kg (190 lb; 13.4 st) |
| Turned pro | 2001 |
| Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Career prize money | $48,433,332 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 574–120 (82.71%) |
| Career titles | 49 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (18 August 2008) |
| Current ranking | No. 2 (28 May 2012)[1] |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (2009) |
| French Open | W (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011) |
| Wimbledon | W (2008, 2010) |
| US Open | W (2010) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | F (2010) |
| Olympic Games |  Gold medal (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 97–59 |
| Career titles | 8 |
| Highest ranking | No. 26 (8 August 2005) |
| Current ranking | No. 62 (28 May 2012)[2] |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2004, 2005) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2005) |
| US Open | SF (2004) |
| Last updated on: 28 May 2012. | |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for Spain |
||
| Men's Tennis | ||
| Gold | 2008 Beijing | Singles |
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera (Catalan: [rəˈfɛɫ nəˈðaɫ pəˈɾeɾə]; Spanish: [rafaˈel naˈðal paˈɾeɾa]) (born 3 June 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. As of 28 May 2012 (2012 -05-28)[update], he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time;[5][6][7] his success on clay has earned him the nickname "The King of Clay", and has prompted many experts to regard him as the greatest clay court player of all time.[8][9][10]
Nadal has won ten Grand Slam singles titles, including a record six French Open titles (tied with Bjorn Borg), the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles, a record 21 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, and also was part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. He completed the Career Grand Slam by winning the 2010 US Open, being the seventh player in history, and the youngest in the open era, to achieve it. He is the second male player to complete the Career Golden Slam (winner of the four grand slams and the Olympic Gold medal) after only Andre Agassi.
Nadal had a 32-match winning streak in 2008, starting at the 2008 Masters Series Hamburg to the 2008 Western & Southern Financial Group Masters and Women's Open, which included titles at Hamburg, the French Open (where he did not drop a set), Queen's Club, his first title at Wimbledon, and the Rogers Cup. In 2012, by winning the Monte-Carlo Masters, he became the only player to have won eight consecutive editions in any tournament during history of tennis, and only the 2nd player to win a single tournament for a total of eight times during Open Era. Nadal was ranked world No. 2, behind Roger Federer, for a record 160 consecutive weeks before earning the top spot, which he held from 18 August 2008 to 5 July 2009.[11] He regained the world No.1 ranking on 7 June 2010, after winning his fifth French Open title.[12] He held it until 3 July 2011, when Novak Djokovic replaced him as world No. 1. Nadal has held the No. 2 ranking for an ATP record 235 weeks (as of 21 May 2012).
Contents |
Early life[link]
Rafael Nadal was born in Manacor, Majorca, Spain to Sebastián Nadal, a businessman who owns an insurance company, a glass and window company, Vidres Mallorca, and manages his own restaurant, Sa Punta. His mother is Ana María Parera, a housewife. He has a younger sister named María Isabel. His uncle, Miguel Ángel Nadal, is a retired professional footballer, who played for RCD Mallorca, FC Barcelona, and the Spanish national team.[13] Nadal supports football clubs Real Madrid and RCD Mallorca.[14] Recognizing that Nadal had a natural talent for tennis, another uncle, Toni Nadal, a former professional tennis player, introduced him to tennis when he was three years old.[15]
At age eight, Nadal won an under-12 regional tennis championship at a time when he was also a promising football player.[16] This made Toni Nadal intensify training, and at that time he encouraged Nadal to play left-handed for a natural advantage on the tennis court, as he noticed Nadal played forehand shots with two hands.[16] When Nadal was 12, he won the Spanish and European tennis titles in his age group and was playing tennis and football all the time.[16] Nadal's father made him choose between football and tennis so that his school work would not deteriorate entirely. Nadal said: "I chose tennis. Football had to stop straight away."[16]
When he was 14, the Spanish tennis federation requested that he leave Majorca and move to Barcelona to continue his tennis training. Nadal's family turned down this request, partly because they feared it would hurt his education,[16] but also because Toni said that "I don't want to believe that you have to go to America, or other places to be a good athlete. You can do it from your home."[15] The decision to stay home meant that Nadal received less financial support from the federation; instead, Nadal's father covered the costs. In May 2001, he defeated former Grand Slam champion Pat Cash in a clay-court exhibition match.[13]
At 15, he turned pro.[17] Nadal participated in two events on the ITF junior circuit. In 2002, at the age of 16, Nadal reached the semifinals of the Boy's Singles tournament at Wimbledon, in his first ITF junior event.[18]
By the age of 17, he beat Roger Federer the first time they played and became the youngest man to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Boris Becker. At 18, he helped pace Spain over the US in the junior Davis Cup in his second, and final, appearance on the ITF junior circuit. At 19, Nadal won the French Open the first time he played it, a feat not accomplished in Paris for more than 20 years. He eventually won it the first four times he played at Roland Garros.[17] In 2003, he had won the ATP Newcomer of the Year Award. Early in his career, Nadal picked up the trademark habit of biting the trophies he won.[19]
Tennis career[link]
2002–2004[link]
In April 2002, at 15 years and 10 months, the world No. 762 Nadal won his first ATP match, defeating Ramón Delgado, and became the ninth player in the open era to do so before the age of 16.[20] The following year, Nadal won two Challenger titles and finished the year in the top 50. At his Wimbledon debut in 2003, Nadal became the youngest man to reach the third round since Boris Becker in 1984.[21] During 2004, Nadal played his first match against world No. 1 Roger Federer at the 2004 Miami Masters, and won in straight sets. He is one of the six players that defeated Federer that year (along with Tim Henman, Albert Costa, Gustavo Kuerten, Dominik Hrbatý, and Tomáš Berdych). He missed most of the clay court season, including the French Open, because of a stress fracture in his left ankle.[13] Nadal, at 18 years and six months, became the youngest player to register a singles victory in a Davis Cup final for a winning nation.[22] By beating world No. 2 Andy Roddick, he helped Spain clinch the 2004 title over the United States in a 3–2 win. He finished the year ranked world No. 51.
2005[link]
At the 2005 Australian Open, Nadal lost in the 4th round to eventual runner-up Lleyton Hewitt. Two months later, Nadal reached the final of the 2005 Miami Masters, and despite being two points from a straight-sets victory, he was defeated in five sets by world No. 1 Roger Federer. Both performances were considered to be breakthroughs for Nadal.[23][24]
He then dominated the spring clay court season. He won 24 consecutive singles matches, which broke Andre Agassi's open era record of consecutive match wins for a male teenager.[25] Nadal won the Torneo Conde de Godó in Barcelona and beat 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria in the finals of the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters and the 2005 Rome Masters. These victories raised his ranking to world No. 5[26] and made him one of the favorites at his career-first French Open. On his 19th birthday, Nadal defeated Federer in the 2005 French Open semifinals, being one of only four players who defeated the top-seeded player that year (along with Marat Safin, Richard Gasquet, and David Nalbandian). Two days later, he defeated Mariano Puerta in the final, becoming the second male player to win the French Open on his first attempt since Mats Wilander in 1982: He also became the first teenager to win a Grand Slam singles title since Pete Sampras won the 1990 US Open at age 19.[13] Winning the French Open improved Nadal's ranking to World No. 3.[26]
Three days after his victory in Paris, Nadal's 24-match winning streak was snapped in the first round of the grass court Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, where he lost to the German Alexander Waske.[27] He then lost in the second round of 2005 Wimbledon to Gilles Müller of Luxembourg.
Immediately after Wimbledon, Nadal won 16 consecutive matches and three consecutive tournaments, bringing his ranking to world No. 2 on 25 July 2005.
Nadal started his North American summer hard-court season by defeating Agassi in the final of the 2005 Canada Masters, but lost in the first round of the 2005 Cincinnati Masters. Nadal was seeded second at the 2005 US Open, where he was upset in the third round by World No. 49 James Blake in four sets.
In September, he defeated Coria in the final of the China Open in Beijing and won both of his Davis Cup matches against Italy. In October, he won his fourth ATP Masters Series title of the year, defeating Ivan Ljubičić in the final of the 2005 Madrid Masters. He then suffered a foot injury that prevented him from competing in the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup.[28]
Both Nadal and Federer won eleven singles titles and four ATP Masters Series titles in 2005. Nadal broke Mats Wilander's previous teenage record of nine in 1983.[29] Eight of Nadal's titles were on clay, and the remainder were on hard courts. Nadal won 79 matches, second only to Federer's 81. Nadal won the Golden Bagel Award for 2005, with eleven 6–0 sets during the year.[30] Also, he earned the highest year-end ranking ever by a Spaniard and the ATP Most Improved Player of the Year award.
2006[link]
Nadal missed the Australian Open due to a foot injury.[31] In February, he lost in the semifinals of the first tournament he played, the Open 13 tournament in Marseille, France. Two weeks later, he handed Roger Federer his first loss of the year in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Men's Open (in 2006, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were the only two men who defeated Federer). To complete the spring hard-court season, Nadal was upset in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California, by James Blake, and was upset in the second round of the 2006 Miami Masters.
On European clay, Nadal won all four tournaments he entered and 24 consecutive matches. He defeated Federer in the final of the Masters Series Monte Carlo in four sets. The following week, he defeated Tommy Robredo in the final of the Open Sabadell Atlántico tournament in Barcelona. After a one-week break, Nadal won the Masters Series Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, defeating Federer in a fifth-set tiebreaker in the final, after saving two match points and equaling Björn Borg's tally of 16 ATP titles won as a teenager. Nadal broke Argentinian Guillermo Vilas's 29-year male record of 53 consecutive clay-court match victories by winning his first round match at the French Open. Vilas presented Nadal with a trophy, but commented later that Nadal's feat was less impressive than his own because Nadal's winning streak covered two years and was accomplished by adding easy tournaments to his schedule.[32] Nadal went on to play Federer in the final of the French Open. The first two sets of the match were hardly competitive, as the rivals traded 6–1 sets. Nadal won the third set easily and served for the match in the fourth set before Federer broke him and forced a tiebreaker. Nadal won the tiebreaker and became the first player to defeat Federer in a Grand Slam final.[33]
Nadal injured his shoulder while playing a quarterfinal match against Lleyton Hewitt at the Artois Championships, played on grass at the Queen's Club in London.[34] Nadal was unable to complete the match, which ended his 26-match winning streak. Nadal was seeded second at Wimbledon, but was two points from defeat against American qualifier Robert Kendrick in the second round before coming back to win in five sets. In the third round, Nadal defeated world No. 20 Andre Agassi in straight sets at Agassi's last career match at Wimbledon. Nadal also won his next three matches in straight sets, which set up his first Wimbledon final, which was against Federer, who had won this tournament the three previous years. Nadal was the first Spanish man since Manuel Santana in 1966, to reach the Wimbledon final, but Federer won the match in four sets 6–0, 7–6, 6–7, 6–3 to win his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title.
During the lead up to the US Open, Nadal played the two Masters Series tournaments in North America. He was upset in the third round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto and the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, Ohio. Nadal was seeded second at the US Open, but lost in the quarterfinals to world No. 54 Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in four sets.
Nadal played only three tournaments the remainder of the year. Joachim Johansson, ranked world No. 690, upset Nadal in the second round of the Stockholm Open 6–4, 7–6. The following week, Nadal lost to Tomáš Berdych in the quarterfinals of the year's last Masters Series tournament, the Mutua Madrileña Masters in Madrid. During the round-robin stage of the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup, Nadal lost to James Blake but defeated Nikolay Davydenko and Robredo. Because of those two victories, Nadal qualified for the semifinals, where he lost to Federer 6–4, 7–5. This was Nadal's third loss in nine career matches with Federer.
Nadal went on to become the first player since Andre Agassi in 1994–95 to finish the year as the world No. 2 in consecutive years.
2007[link]
Nadal started the year by playing in six hard-court tournaments. He lost in the semifinals and first round of his first two tournaments and then lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open to eventual runner-up Fernando González. After another quarterfinal loss at the Dubai Tennis Championships, he won the 2007 Indian Wells Masters, before Novak Djoković defeated him in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Miami Masters.
He had comparatively more success after returning to Europe to play five clay-court tournaments. He won the titles at the Masters Series Monte Carlo, the Open Sabadell Atlántico in Barcelona, and the Masters Series Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, before losing to Roger Federer in the final of the Masters Series Hamburg. This defeat ended his 81-match winning streak on clay, which is the male open era record for consecutive wins on a single surface. He then rebounded to win the French Open for the third straight year, defeating Federer once again in the final.
Between the tournaments in Barcelona and Rome, Nadal defeated Federer in the "Battle of Surfaces" exhibition match in Majorca, Spain, with the tennis court being half grass and half clay.[35]
Nadal played the Artois Championships at the Queen's Club in London for the second consecutive year. As in 2006, Nadal was upset in the quarterfinals. Nadal then won consecutive five-set matches during the third and fourth rounds of Wimbledon before being beaten by Federer in the five-set final. This was Federer's first five-set match at Wimbledon since 2001.[36]
In July, Nadal won the clay court Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, which proved to be his last title of the year. He played three important tournaments during the North American summer hard court season. He was a semifinalist at the Masters Series Rogers Cup in Montreal before losing his first match at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the second-seeded player at the US Open, but was defeated in the fourth round by David Ferrer.
After a month-long break from tournament tennis, Nadal played the Mutua Madrileña Masters in Madrid and the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris. David Nalbandian upset him in the quarterfinals and final of those tournaments. To end the year, Nadal won two of his three round robin matches to advance to the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, where Federer defeated him 6–4, 6–1.
During the second half of the year, Nadal battled a knee injury suffered during the Wimbledon final. In addition, there were rumors at the end of the year that the foot injury he suffered during 2005, caused long-term damage, which were given credence by coach Toni Nadal's claim that the problem was "serious". Nadal and his spokesman strongly denied this, however, with Nadal himself calling the story "totally false".[37]
2008[link]
Nadal began the year in India, where he was comprehensively beaten by Mikhail Youzhny in the final of the Chennai Open. Nadal then reached the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Nadal 6–2, 6–3, 6–2 in the semifinal of 2008 Australian Open. Tsonga's semifinal performance was characterized by his powerful and precise serve, finesse volleys, and aggressive baseline play; it was a performance that drew the Melbourne crowd to their feet. Tsonga did not face a break point until the third set, while breaking the Spaniard five times in the match. Nadal also reached the final of the Miami Masters for the second time.
During the spring clay-court season, Nadal won four singles titles and defeated Roger Federer in three finals. He beat Federer at the Masters Series Monte Carlo for the third straight year, capturing his open era record fourth consecutive title there. He won in straight sets, despite Federer's holding a 4–0 lead in the second set.[38] Nadal then won his fourth consecutive title at the Open Sabadell Atlántico tournament in Barcelona. A few weeks later, Nadal won his first title at the Masters Series Hamburg, defeating Federer in the three-set final. He then won the French Open, becoming the fifth man in the open era to win a Grand Slam singles title without losing a set.[39] He defeated Federer in the final for the third straight year, but this was the most lopsided of all their matches, as Nadal only lost four games and gave Federer his first bagel since 1999.[38] This was Nadal's fourth consecutive French title, tying Björn Borg's all-time record. Nadal became the fourth male player during Open era to win the same Grand Slam singles tournament four consecutive years (the others being Borg, Pete Sampras, and Federer).
Nadal then played Federer in the final of Wimbledon for the third consecutive year, in the most anticipated match of their rivalry.[40][41] Nadal entered the final on a 23-match winning streak, including his first career grass-court title at the Artois Championships staged at the Queen's Club in London prior to Wimbledon. Federer had won his record fifth grass-court title at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, and then reached the Wimbledon final without losing a set. Unlike their previous two Wimbledon finals, though, Federer was not the prohibitive favorite, and many analysts picked Nadal to win.[41][42] They played the longest (in terms of time on court, not in terms of numbers of games) final in Wimbledon history, and because of rain delays, Nadal won the fifth set 9–7 in near-darkness. The match was widely lauded as the greatest Wimbledon final ever, with some tennis critics even calling it the greatest match in tennis history.[43][44][45][46][47] By winning his first Wimbledon title, Nadal became the third man in the open era to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, after Rod Laver in 1969, and Borg in 1978–80, (Federer later accomplished this the following year) as well as the second Spaniard to win Wimbledon. He also ended Federer's record streak of five consecutive Wimbledon titles and 65 straight wins on grass courts. This is also the first time that Nadal won two Grand Slams back-to-back.
After Wimbledon, Nadal extended his winning streak to a career-best 32 matches. He won his second Rogers Cup title in Toronto, and then made it into the semifinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a result, Nadal clinched the US Open Series and, combined with Federer's early-round losses in both of those tournaments, finally earned the world No. 1 ranking on 18 August, officially ending Federer's record four-and-a-half year reign at the top.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nadal defeated Novak Djoković of Serbia in the semifinals 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 and Fernando González of Chile in the final to win his first Olympic gold medal. Nadal became the first male player ranked in the top five to win the gold medal.[48]
At the US Open, Nadal was the top-seeded player for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament. He did not lose a set during his first three matches, defeating qualifiers in the first and second rounds and Viktor Troicki in the third round. He then needed four sets to defeat both Sam Querrey in the fourth round and Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he lost to eventual runner up, Andy Murray 6–2, 7–6, 4–6, 6–4. Later in the year in Madrid, Nadal helped Spain defeat the United States in the Davis Cup semifinals.
At the Mutua Madrileña Masters in Madrid, Nadal lost in the semifinals to Gilles Simon 3–6, 7–5, 7–6. However, his performance at the event guaranteed that he would become the first Spaniard during the open era to finish the year as the world No. 1.[49] On 24 October at the Campoamor theatre in Oviedo, Spain, Nadal was given the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports, in recognition of his achievements in tennis.[50] Two weeks after the Madrid Masters at the BNP Paribas Masters in France, Nadal reached the quarterfinals, where he faced Nikolay Davydenko. Nadal lost the first set 6–1, before retiring in the second with a knee injury.[51] The following week, Nadal announced his withdrawal from the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, citing tendinitis of the knee. On 10 November, Nadal withdrew from Spain's Davis Cup final against Argentina, as his knee injury had not healed completely.[52]
2009[link]
Nadal's first official ATP tour event for the year was the 250 series Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. After his first-round match with Fabrice Santoro, Nadal was awarded the 2008 ATP World Tour Champion trophy.[53] Nadal eventually lost in the quarterfinals to Gaël Monfils. Nadal also entered and won the tournament's doubles event with partner Marc López, defeating the world No. 1 doubles team of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjić in the final. As noted by statistician Greg Sharko, this was the first time since 1990, that the world No. 1 singles player had played the world No. 1 doubles player in a final.[54]
At the 2009 Australian Open, Nadal won his first five matches without dropping a set, before defeating compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semifinals in the second longest match in Australian Open history at 5 hours and 14 minutes.[55] This win set up a championship match with Roger Federer, their first meeting ever in a hard-court Grand Slam tournament and their nineteenth meeting overall. Nadal defeated Federer in five sets to earn his first hard-court Grand Slam singles title,[56] making him the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open and the fourth male tennis player—after Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander, and Andre Agassi—to win Grand Slam singles titles on three different surfaces. This win also made Nadal the first male tennis player to hold three Grand Slam singles titles on three different surfaces at the same time.[57] Nadal then played the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. In the final, he lost to second-seeded Murray in three sets. During the final, Nadal called a trainer to attend to a tendon problem with his right knee, which notably affected his play in the final set.[58] Although this knee problem was not associated with Nadal's right knee tendonitis, it was serious enough to cause him to withdraw from the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships a week later.[59]
In March, Nadal helped Spain defeat Serbia in a Davis Cup World Group first-round tie on clay in Benidorm, Spain. Nadal defeated Janko Tipsarević and Novak Djokovic. The win over world No. 3 Djokovic was Nadal's twelfth consecutive Davis Cup singles match win and boosted his career win–loss record against Djokovic to 11–4, including 6–0 on clay.[60][61]
At the 2009 Indian Wells Masters, Nadal won his thirteenth Masters 1000 series tournament. In the fourth round, Nadal saved five match points, before defeating David Nalbandian for the first time.[62] Nadal defeated Juan Martín del Potro in the quarterfinals and Andy Roddick in the semi-finals, before defeating Murray in the final. The next ATP tour event was the 2009 Miami Masters. Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals, where he again faced Argentinian del Potro, this time losing the match. This was the first time del Potro had defeated Nadal in five career matches.[63]
Nadal began his European clay court season at the 2009 Monte Carlo Masters, where he won a record fifth consecutive singles title there.[64] He defeated Novak Djokovic in the final for his fifth consecutive win, a record in the open era. Nadal is the first male player to win the same ATP Master series event for five consecutive years.
Nadal then competed in the ATP 500 event in Barcelona. He advanced to his fifth consecutive Barcelona final, where he faced David Ferrer. Nadal went on to beat Ferrer 6–2, 7–5 to record five consecutive Barcelona victories.[65] At the Rome Masters, Nadal reached the final, where he defeated Novak Djokovic to improve his overall record to 13–4 and clay record to 8–0 against the Serb.[66] He became the first player to win four Rome titles.
After winning two clay-court Masters, he participated in the Madrid Open. He lost to Roger Federer 4–6, 4–6 in the final. This was the first time that Nadal had lost to Federer since the semifinals of the 2007 Tennis Masters Cup.
On 19 May, the ATP World Tour announced that Nadal was the first player out of eight to qualify for the 2009 ATP World Tour Finals, to be played at the O2 Arena in London.[67]
By beating Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of 2009 French Open, Nadal (2005–09 French Open) set a record of 31 consecutive wins at Roland Garros, beating the previous record of 28 by Björn Borg (1978–81 French Open). Nadal had won 32 consecutive sets at Roland Garros (since winning the last 2 sets at the 2007 French Open final against Federer), the second-longest winning streak in the tournament's history behind Björn Borg's record of 41 consecutive sets. This run came to an end on 31 May 2009, when Nadal lost to eventual runner-up, Robin Söderling in the 4th round. The Swede triumphed 6–2, 6–7, 6–4, 7–6. This was Nadal's first loss at the French Open.
After his surprise defeat at Roland Garros, Nadal withdrew from the AEGON Championships. It was confirmed that Nadal was suffering from tendinitis in both of his knees.[68] On 19 June, Nadal withdrew from the 2009 Wimbledon Championship, citing his recurring knee injury.[69] He was the first champion to not defend the title since Goran Ivanišević in 2001.[69] Roger Federer went on to win the title, and Nadal consequently dropped back to world No. 2 on 6 July 2009. Nadal later announced his withdrawal from the Davis Cup.
On 4 August, Nadal's uncle, Toni Nadal, confirmed that Nadal would return to play at the Rogers Cup in Montreal.[70] There, in his first tournament since Roland Garros, Nadal lost in the quarterfinals to Juan Martín del Potro.[71] With this loss, he relinquished the No. 2 spot to Andy Murray on 17 August 2009, ranking outside the top two for the first time since 25 July 2005.
In the quarterfinals of the US Open he defeated Fernando González 7–6, 7–6, 6–0 in a rain-delayed encounter.[72] However, like his previous US Open campaign, he fell in the semifinals, this time losing to eventual champion Juan Martín del Potro 2–6, 2–6, 2–6.[73] Despite the loss, he regained his No. 2 ranking after Andy Murray's early exit.[74]
At the World Tour Finals, Nadal lost all three of his matches against Robin Söderling, Nikolay Davydenko, and Novak Djokovic respectively without winning a set.
In December, Nadal participated in the second Davis Cup final of his career. He defeated Czech No. 2 Tomáš Berdych in his first singles rubber to give the Spanish Davis Cup Team their first point in the tie. After the Spanish Davis Cup team had secured its fourth Davis Cup victory, Nadal defeated Jan Hájek in the first Davis Cup dead rubber of his career. The win gave Nadal his 14th consecutive singles victory at Davis Cup (his 13th on clay).
Nadal finished the year as No. 2 for the fourth time in five years. Nadal won the Golden Bagel Award for 2009, with nine 6–0 sets during the year. Nadal has won the award three times (a tour record).
2010[link]
Main article: 2010 Rafael Nadal tennis season
Nadal began the year by participating in the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He defeated compatriot David Ferrer 7–6, 6–3 to reach his second final in the exhibition tournament. In the final, Nadal defeated Robin Söderling 7–6, 7–5.[75]
Nadal participated in an Australian Open warm-up tournament, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP 250 event in Doha, where he lost in the finals to Nikolay Davydenko 6–0, 6–7, 4–6.[76][76]
In the first round of the Australian Open, Nadal defeated Peter Luczak of Australia 7–6, 6–1, 6–4. In the second round, he beat Lukáš Lacko 6–2, 6–2, 6–2. In the third round, he was tested by Philipp Kohlschreiber, finally beating him 6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 7–5. In the fourth round, he beat Ivo Karlović of Croatia, 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4.[77] In the quarterfinals, Nadal pulled out at 3–0 down in the third set against Andy Murray, having lost the first two sets 6–3, 7–6.[78] After examining Nadal's knees, doctors told him that he should take two weeks of rest, and then two weeks of rehabilitation.
Nadal reached the semifinals in singles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he was the defending champion; however, eventual champion Ivan Ljubičić defeated him in three sets.[79] He and countryman López won the doubles title, though, as wildcard entrants against number one seeds Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjić.[80] This boosted his doubles ranking 175 places[81] to world number 66, whereas he was 241st before Indian Wells.[82] After Indian Wells, Nadal reached the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open, where he lost to eventual champion Andy Roddick in three sets.[83]
Nadal reached the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monaco, after beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6–3, 6–2 in the semifinals. This was Nadal's first tour final since Doha earlier in the year. He won the final 6–0, 6–1 over his compatriot Fernando Verdasco. He lost 14 games throughout all five matches, the fewest he had ever lost en route to a championship, and the final was the shortest Masters 1000 final in terms of games. With this win, Nadal became the first player in the open era to win a tournament title for six straight years.[84]
Unlike in previous years, Nadal next chose to skip the Barcelona tournament (despite being that event's five-time defending champion), and his next tournament was the 2010 Internazionali BNL d'Italia. He defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber, Victor Hănescu, and Stanlias Wawrinka, all in straight sets, to win his 57th straight match in April. In the semis, he faced a resilient Ernests Gulbis, who defeated Roger Federer earlier in the tournament and took Nadal to three sets for the first time this clay-court season. Nadal eventually prevailed with a 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 in 2 hours and 40minutes. He then defeated compatriot David Ferrer in the final 7–5, 6–2 for his fifth title at Rome to equal Andre Agassi's record of winning 17 ATP Masters titles.
Nadal then entered the 2010 Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open, where he had finished runner-up the previous year. Being one of the top eight seeds, he received a bye in the first round. In the second round, he defeated qualifier Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr in straight sets. He then played the six-foot-nine-inch American John Isner. Nadal comfortably came through in straight sets, 7–5, 6–4. He defeated Gaël Monfils in the quarterfinals 6–1, 6–3 and his countryman Nicolás Almagro in the next round, who was playing in his first Masters 1000 semifinal, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2. The first set of his match against Almagro would be just the second set he lost on clay up to this point in 2010. Nadal then defeated longtime rival Roger Federer 6–4, 7–6, avenging his 2009 finals loss to Federer. The win gave him his 18th Masters title, breaking the all-time record. He became the first player to win all three clay-court Masters titles in a single year and the first player to win three consecutive Masters events. Nadal moved back to No. 2 the following day.
Entering the French Open, many were expecting another Nadal-Federer final. However, this became impossible when rival Robin Söderling defeated Federer 3–6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–4 in the quarterfinals.[85] The failure of Federer to reach the semifinals allowed Nadal to regain the world No. 1 ranking if he were to win the tournament. Nadal advanced to the final and defeated Soderling 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 to win the French Open. The win gave Nadal his seventh Grand Slam, tying him with John McEnroe, John Newcombe, and Mats Wilander on the all-time list, and allowed Nadal to reclaim the position of world No. 1, denying his biggest rival Roger Federer the all-time record for weeks at No. 1.[86][87] By this win, Nadal became the first man to win the three Masters series on clay and the French Open. This was dubbed by the media as the "Clay Slam". This victory at Roland Garros marked the second time (2008) that Nadal had won the French Open without dropping a single set (tying the record held by Björn Borg). With the win in Paris he also booked his place at the World Tour Finals in London and became the first player to win five French Open titles in six years.
In June, Nadal entered the AEGON Championships, which he had won in 2008, at the prestigious Queen's Club. He played singles and doubles at this grass court tournament as a warmup for Wimbledon. Being one of the top eight seeds, he received a bye in the first round. In the second round, where he played his first match on grass since winning Wimbledon 2008, he defeated Marcos Daniel easily, 6–2, 6–2. In the third round, he played Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, whom he defeated 7–6, 4–6, 6–4, to advance to the quarterfinals. However, he was defeated by compatriot Feliciano López 6–7, 4–6.
At the Wimbledon, Nadal beat Kei Nishikori 6–2, 6–4, 6–4. Nadal was taken to the limit by Robin Haase winning 5–7, 6–2, 3–6, 6–0, 6–3. He defeated Philipp Petzschner in the third round. The match was a 5-set thriller, with Nadal triumphing 6–4, 4–6, 6–7, 6–2, 6–3. During his match with Petzschner, Nadal was warned twice for receiving coaching from his coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, resulting in a $2000 fine by Wimbledon officials. Allegedly, encouraging words for Nadal shouted during the match were some sort of coaching code signal.[88][89] He met Paul-Henri Mathieu of France in the round of 16 and comfortably beat Mathieu 6–4, 6–2, 6–2. In the quarterfinals, he got past Robin Söderling of Sweden in four sets 3–6, 6–3, 7–6, 6–1. He defeated Andy Murray in straight sets 6–4, 7–6, 6–4 to reach his fourth Wimbledon final.
Nadal won the 2010 Wimbledon men's title by defeating Tomáš Berdych in straight sets 6–3, 7–5, 6–4. After the win, Nadal said "it is more than a dream for me" and thanked the crowd for being both kind and supportive to him and his adversary during the match and in the semifinal against Andy Murray.[90] The win gave him a second Wimbledon title and an eighth career major title[91] just past the age of 24.[92] The win also gave Nadal his first "Old World Triple"; the last person to achieve this was Björn Borg in 1978 ("Old World Triple" is a term given to winning the Italian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon in the same year).
In his first hard-court tournament since Wimbledon, Nadal advanced to the semifinals of the Rogers Cup, along with No. 2 Novak Djokovic, No. 3 Roger Federer, and No. 4 Andy Murray, after coming back from a one-set deficit to defeat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4.[93] In the semifinal, defending champion Murray defeated Nadal 6–3, 6–4, becoming the only player to triumph over the Spaniard twice in 2010.[94] Nadal also competed in the doubles with Djokovic in a one-time, high-profile partnership of the world No. 1 and No. 2, the first such team since the Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe team in 1976.[95] However, Nadal and Djokovic lost in the first round to Canadians Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil. The next week, Nadal was the top seed at the Cincinnati Masters, losing in the quarterfinals to 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis.
At the 2010 US Open, Nadal was the top seed for the second time in three years. He defeated Teymuraz Gabashvili, Denis Istomin, Gilles Simon, number 23 seed Feliciano López, number 8 seed Fernando Verdasco, and number 12 seed Mikhail Youzhny all without dropping a set, to reach his first US Open final, becoming only the eighth man in the Open Era to reach the final of all four majors, and at age 24 the second youngest ever to do so, behind only Jim Courier. In the final, he defeated Novak Djokovic 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 which completed the Career Grand Slam for Nadal and he became the second male after Andre Agassi to complete a Career Golden Slam.[96] Nadal also became the first man to win grand slams on clay, grass, and hard court in the same year, and the first to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open in the same year since Rod Laver in 1969. Nadal and Mats Wilander are the only male players to win at least two Grand Slams each on clay, grass, and hardcourts in their careers. Nadal also became the first left-handed man to win the US Open since John McEnroe in 1984.[97] Nadal's victory also clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking for 2010, making Nadal only the third player (after Ivan Lendl in 1989 and Roger Federer in 2009) to regain the year-end number one ranking after having lost it.[98]
Nadal began his Asian tour at the 2010 PTT Thailand Open in Bangkok where he reached the semifinals, losing to compatriot Guillermo García López. Nadal was able to regroup, and at the 2010 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo (debut), he defeated Santiago Giraldo, Milos Raonic, and Dmitry Tursunov. In the semifinals against Viktor Troicki, Nadal saved two match points in the deciding set tiebreaker to win it 9–7 in the end. In the final, Nadal comfortably defeated Gaël Monfils 6–1, 7–5 for his seventh title of the season.
Nadal next played in the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters in Shanghai, where he was the top seed, but lost to world No. 12 Jürgen Melzer in the third round, snapping his record streak of 21 consecutive Masters quarterfinals. On the 5 November, Nadal announced that he was pulling out of the Paris Masters due to tendinitis in his left shoulder.[99] On 21 November 2010, in London, Nadal won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the first time.[100]
At the 2010 ATP World Tour Finals in London, Nadal defeated Roddick 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 in the first match, Djokovic 7–5, 6–2 in the second match, and Berdych 7–6, 6–1 in the third match, to advance to the semifinals for the third time in his career. This is the first time that Nadal achieved three wins in the round-robin stage. In the semifinal, he defeated Murray 7–6, 3–6, 7–6 in a hard-fought match to reach his first final at the tournament. In only their second meeting of the year, Federer beat Nadal in the final by a score of 6–3, 3–6, 6–1. After the match, Nadal stated: "Roger is probably the more complete player of the world. I'm not going to say I lost that match because I was tired." This was a reference to his marathon victory over Murray on Saturday. "I tried my best this afternoon, but Roger was simply better than me."[101]
Nadal ended the 2010 season having won three Slams and three Masters 1000 tournaments, and having regained the No. 1 ranking.
Next up for Nadal was a two-match exhibition against Federer for the Roger Federer Foundation. The first match took place in Zürich on 21 December 2010, and the second in Madrid the next day.
2011[link]
Main article: 2011 Rafael Nadal tennis season
Nadal started 2011, by participating in the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He defeated Tomáš Berdych, 6–4, 6–4, to reach his third final in the exhibition tournament. In the final, he won over his main rival Roger Federer, 7–6, 7–6.
At the Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP 250 event in Doha, Qatar, Nadal barely struggled past his first three opponents, Karol Beck, 6–3, 6–0, Lukáš Lacko, 7–6, 0–6, 6–3, and Ernests Gulbis, 7–6, 6–3, citing fever as the primary reason for his poor performance. He fell in straight sets to a resurgent Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals, 3–6, 2–6.[102] He and countryman López won the doubles title by defeating the Italian duo Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi, 6–3, 7–6.[103]
In the first round of the Australian Open, Nadal defeated Marcos Daniel of Brazil 6–0, 5–0 ret. In the second round, he beat upcoming qualifier Ryan Sweeting of the United States 6–2, 6–1, 6–1. In the third round, he was tested by emerging player Bernard Tomic of Australia, who previously ousted Nadal's countryman Feliciano López, but Nadal was victorious 6–2, 7–5, 6–3. He went on to defeat Marin Čilić of Croatia 6–2, 6–4, 6–3, in the fourth round. He suffered an apparent hamstring injury against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer early in the pair's quarterfinal match and ultimately lost in straight sets 4–6, 2–6, 3–6, thus ending his effort to win four major tournaments in a row.[104]
On 7 February 2011, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Nadal won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the first time, ahead of footballer Lionel Messi, Sebastian Vettel, Spain's Andres Iniesta, Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, and Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.[105]
In March, Nadal helped Spain defeat Belgium in a 2011 Davis Cup World Group first-round tie on hard indoor courts in the Spiroudome in Charleroi, Belgium. Nadal defeated Ruben Bemelmans 6–2, 6–4, 6–2.[106] After Spain's victory in three matches, Nadal played a second dead rubber against Olivier Rochus and won 6–4, 6–2.[107]
At the 2011 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Nadal defeated upcoming qualifier Rik de Voest of South Africa 6–0, 6–2, in his first match. In the third round, he beat qualifier Ryan Sweeting, 6–3, 6–1. He then defeated Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman, 7–5, 6–4, in the fourth round. In the quarterfinals, Nadal had a hard time against Croatian Ivo Karlovic, but won 5–7, 6–1, 7–6, and in the semifinals he met Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, back from a long injury. The last three confrontations between the players were in favor of del Potro, but despite some difficulties, Nadal won 6–4, 6–4. He reached his third final at Indian Wells, and in the final lost against Novak Djokovic, 6–4, 3–6, 2–6.[108] The next day, Nadal and Djokovic played a friendly match in Bogota, Colombia, which Nadal won.[109]
Nadal started the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open with a win over Japanese player Kei Nishikori, 6–4, 6–4, then met his compatriot Feliciano Lopez in the third round, whom he defeated 6–3, 6–3. In the fourth round, he defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine, 6–1, 6–2. In the quarterfinals, Nadal had the first real test of the tournament when he met the world no. 7 Tomas Berdych. After a good first set, Nadal's level of play fell significantly due to an injured right shoulder, and he lost the second set. He eventually triumphed, 6–2, 3–6, 6–3. In the semifinals, Nadal met his main rival Roger Federer, their first meeting in a semifinal since the 2007 Masters Cup. Nadal was swiftly victorious, 6–3, 6–2; this match was one of the fastest matches played on hard courts. For the second time in two weeks, Nadal faced Novak Djokovic in the final. As in the Indian Wells tournament, Nadal won the first set, and Djokovic the second. The third set ended in a tiebreak, with Djokovic winning the match, 4–6, 6–3, 7–6.[110] This is the first time Nadal reached the finals of Indian Wells and Miami in the same year.
Nadal began his clay-court season in style, winning the 2011 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters with the loss of just one set. Nadal defeated Jarkko Nieminen, 6–2, 6–2, Richard Gasquet, 6–2, 6–4, Ivan Ljubičić, 6–1, 6–3, and Andy Murray, 6–4, 2–6, 6–1, in the semifinals to reach his seventh consecutive final in Monte Carlo. In the final, Nadal avenged his defeat by David Ferrer in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Australian Open and won the match, 6–4, 7–5. He was the first man to win the same tournament seven times in a row at the ATP level in the open era.[111] Nadal chalked up his 37th straight win at the clay-court event, where he has not lost since the 2003 Monte Carlo Masters. It was his 44th career title and 19th at a Masters event.[112] It was his first title since winning the Japan Open. Nadal shares third place with Björn Borg and Manuel Orantes in the list of players with the most titles on clay.[113]
Just a week later, Nadal won his sixth Barcelona Open crown, winning the 2011 Barcelona Open Banco Sabadell final in straight sets. He won the final over Ferrer, 6–2, 6–4. In doing so, Nadal became the first man in the open era to have won two tournaments at least six times each. Nadal was then the leader in terms of matches won in the year, with 29. He did not gain any points for this victory, however, as only four ATP 500 tournaments can be counted towards a players ranking at one time, but they will go into effect 8 August 2011, when the result of the 2010 Legg Mason Tennis Classic expires.[114]
At the Madrid in May, he defeated Marcos Baghdatis, had a walkover against Juan Martin del Potro, and defeated Michael Llodra and Roger Federer, before losing the final to Novak Djokovic, 5–7, 4–6.[115]
Nadal lost in straight sets to Novak Djokovic in the Rome Masters final, 4–6, 4–6.[116] This marked the first time that Nadal has lost twice on clay to the same player in a single season.[117] However, Nadal retained his no. 1 ranking during the clay-court season and won his sixth French Open title by defeating Roger Federer, 7–5, 7–6, 5–7, 6–1.[118]
At Wimbledon, Nadal beat Michael Russell in the first round, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2, Ryan Sweeting, 6–3, 6–2, 6–4, in the second round, and Gilles Muller, 7–6, 7–6, 6–0, in the third round. He then faced former US Open Champion Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth round, prevailing 7–6, 3–6, 7–6, 6–4. He then faced tenth-seeded Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals, prevailing in four sets, 6–3, 6–3, 5–7, 6–4. His semifinal opponent was world no. 4 Andy Murray. Murray took the first set, but Nadal upped his game and won in four sets, 5–7, 6–2, 6–2, 6–4. This set up a final against world no. 2 Novak Djokovic, who had beaten Nadal in all four of their matches in 2011 (all in Masters finals). Djokovic broke in the 10th game of the first set to take it 6–4; he then won the second comfortably 6–1, but Nadal fought back, breaking early in the third to win it 6–1. In a tense fourth set, Djokovic broke in the ninth game and clinched the title, with Nadal losing 4–6, 1–6, 6–1, 3–6. This was the first Grand Slam final that Nadal had lost to someone other than Roger Federer and his first loss at Wimbledon since his five-set loss to Federer in the 2007 final. The loss ended Nadal's winning streak in Grand Slam finals at seven, preventing him from tying the Open-Era record of eight victories in a row set by Pete Sampras. Djokovic's success at the tournament also meant that the Serb ascended to world no. 1 for the first time, breaking the dominance of Federer and Nadal on the position, which one of them had held for every week since 2 February 2004. Nadal fell to world no. 2 in the rankings for the first time since June 2010.
After resting for a month from a foot injury sustained during Wimbledon, he contested the 2011 Rogers Cup, where he was shocked by Croatian Ivan Dodig in a third-set tiebreak. He next played in the 2011 Cincinnati Masters, where he lost to Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals.
At the 2011 US Open, Nadal defeated Andrey Golubev in straight sets and advanced to the third round after Frenchman Nicholas Mahut retired. After defeating David Nalbandian on September 4, Nadal collapsed in his post-match press conference due to severe cramps.[119] Nadal lost to Novak Djokovic in the final in four sets 2–6, 4–6, 7–6, 1–6.
After the US Open, Nadal made the final of the Japan Open Tennis Championships. Nadal, who was the 2010 champion, was defeated by Andy Murray, 6–3, 2–6, 0–6. At the Shanghai Masters, Nadal was top seed with the absence of Novak Djokovic, but was upset in the third round by no. 23 ranked Florian Mayer in straight sets, 6–7, 3–6. At the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals, Nadal was defeated by Roger Federer in the round-robin stage, 3–6, 0–6 in one of the quickest matches between the two, lasting just 60 minutes. In the following match, Nadal was defeated by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 6–7, 6–4, 3–6, and was eliminated from the tournament.
In the Davis Cup final in December, Nadal had a quick straight-set win over Juan Monaco in his first match. In his second match against Juan Martin del Potro Nadal did not win a single service game in the first set but came back to win the match 1–6, 6–4, 6–1, 7–6(0).[120]
Nadal ended his tennis season with the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition tournament not affiliated with the ATP. The tournament, normally held in early January, was held from December 29 to December 31, 2011. Nadal had a bye into the semifinals and played against David Ferrer, who defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals.[121] Ferrer won the match in straight sets 6–3, 6–2.[122] Nadal was then relegated to the third place match against Roger Federer. Nadal dominated the first set, and Federer made an attempt to claim the second set but failed, winning the match with a score of 6–1, 7–5.
2012[link]
Main article: 2012 Rafael Nadal tennis season
Rivalries[link]
Nadal vs. Federer[link]
Main article: Federer–Nadal rivalry
Federer and Nadal have been playing each other since 2004, and their rivalry is a significant part of both men's careers.[43][123][124][125][126]
They held the top two rankings on the ATP Tour from July 2005 until 14 September 2009, when Nadal fell to World No. 3 (Andy Murray became the new No. 2).[127] They are the only pair of men to have ever finished four consecutive calendar years at the top.[citation needed] Nadal ascended to No. 2 in July 2005 and held this spot for a record 160 consecutive weeks before surpassing Federer in August 2008.[128]
They have played 28 times, and Nadal leads their head-to-head series 18–10 overall and 8–2 in Grand Slam tournaments. Fourteen of their matches have been on clay, which is statistically Nadal's best surface and statistically Federer's worst surface.[129] Federer has a winning record on grass (2–1) and indoor hard courts (4–0) while Nadal leads the outdoor hard courts by 5–2 and clay by 12–2.[130]
Because tournament seedings are based on rankings, 19 of their matches have been in tournament finals, including an all-time record 8 Grand Slam finals.[131] From 2006 to 2008, they played in every French Open and Wimbledon final, and then they met in the 2009 Australian Open final and the 2011 French Open final.[citation needed] Nadal won six of the eight, losing the first two Wimbledons. Three of these matches were five set-matches (2007 and 2008 Wimbledon, 2009 Australian Open), and the 2008 Wimbledon final has been lauded as the greatest match ever by many long-time tennis analysts.[44][132][133][134] They have also played in a record 9 Masters Series finals.[citation needed]
Nadal vs. Djokovic[link]
Main article: Djokovic–Nadal rivalry
Djokovic and Nadal have met 32 times (which is the sixth-most head-to-head meetings in the Open Era)[135] with Nadal having a 18–14 advantage.[136] Nadal leads on grass 2–1 and clay 11–2, but Djokovic leads on hard courts 11–5.[136] This rivalry is listed as the third greatest rivalry in the last decade by ATPworldtour.com[137] and is considered by many to be the emerging rivalry.[138][139] Djokovic is one of only two players to have at least ten match wins against Nadal (the other being Federer) and the only person to defeat Nadal seven consecutive times and two times consecutively on clay.[140] The two share the record for the longest match played in a best of three sets (4 hours and 3 minutes), at the 2009 Mutua Madrid Open semi-finals.[citation needed] In the 2011 Wimbledon final, Djokovic won in four sets 6–4, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3, for his first slam final over Nadal.[141] Djokovic also defeated Nadal in the 2011 US Open Final. In 2012, Djokovic defeated Nadal in the Australian Open final for a third consecutive slam final win over Nadal. This was the longest Grand Slam final in Open era history at 5 hrs, 53 mins.[142] Nadal won their last two meetings in the final of Monte Carlo Masters and Rome Masters in April and in May 2012, respectively.[143]
Major Titles[link]
Grand Slam performance timeline[link]
To prevent confusion and double counting, information in this table is updated only once a tournament or the player's participation in the tournament has concluded. This table is current through the 2012 Australian Open.
| Tournament | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | SR | W–L | Win % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Slam Tournaments | ||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | 3R | 4R | A | QF | SF | W | QF | QF | F | 1 / 8 | 35–7 | 83.33 | |
| French Open | A | A | W | W | W | W | 4R | W | W | 6 / 7 | 45–1 | 97.83 | ||
| Wimbledon | 3R | A | 2R | F | F | W | A | W | F | 2 / 7 | 35–5 | 87.50 | ||
| US Open | 2R | 2R | 3R | QF | 4R | SF | SF | W | F | 1 / 9 | 34–8 | 80.95 | ||
| Win–Loss | 3–2 | 3–2 | 13–3 | 17–2 | 20–3 | 24–2 | 15–2 | 25–1 | 23–3 | 6–1 | 10 / 31 | 149–21 | 87.65 | |
Grand Slam Finals[link]
Singles: 15 (10 titles, 5 runner-ups)[link]
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2005 | French Open | Clay |  Mariano Puerta |
6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 |
| Winner | 2006 | French Open (2) | Clay |  Roger Federer |
1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4) |
| Runner-up | 2006 | Wimbledon | Grass | Roger Federer |
0–6, 6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–2), 3–6 |
| Winner | 2007 | French Open (3) | Clay | Roger Federer |
6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 2007 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass | Roger Federer |
6–7(7–9), 6–4, 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 2–6 |
| Winner | 2008 | French Open (4) | Clay | Roger Federer |
6–1, 6–3, 6–0 |
| Winner | 2008 | Wimbledon | Grass | Roger Federer |
6–4, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–7(8–10), 9–7 |
| Winner | 2009 | Australian Open | Hard | Roger Federer |
7–5, 3–6, 7–6(7–3), 3–6, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2010 | French Open (5) | Clay |  Robin Söderling |
6–4, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Winner | 2010 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass |  Tomáš Berdych |
6–3, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Winner | 2010 | US Open | Hard |  Novak Djokovic |
6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2011 | French Open (6) | Clay | Roger Federer |
7–5, 7–6(7–3), 5–7, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 2011 | Wimbledon (3) | Grass | Novak Djokovic |
4–6, 1–6, 6–1, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 2011 | US Open | Hard | Novak Djokovic |
2–6, 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 1–6 |
| Runner-up | 2012 | Australian Open | Hard | Novak Djokovic |
7–5, 4–6, 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 5–7 |
Year-End Championships[link]
| Tournament | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | SR | W–L | Win % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-End Championship Tournaments | |||||||||||||||||
| YEC | A | A | A | A | SF | SF | A | RR | F | RR | 0 / 5 | 9–10 | 47.37 | ||||
Singles: 1 Runner-up[link]
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 2010 | 2010 ATP World Tour Finals | Hard | Roger Federer |
3–6, 6–3, 1–6 |
Olympic finals[link]
Singles: 1 (1 title)[link]
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2008 | Beijing Olympics | Hard |  Fernando González |
6–3, 7–6(7–2), 6–3 |
Career statistics[link]
Main article: Rafael Nadal career statistics
Records[link]
Main article: List of career achievements by Rafael Nadal
All-time tournament records[link]
| Tournament | Since | Record accomplished | Players matched |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1877 | 8 consecutive titles at any single tournament | Stands alone |
| Monte Carlo Masters | 1897 | 8 men's singles titles | Stands alone |
| French Open | 1925 | 6 men's singles titles | Björn Borg |
| Rome Masters | 1930 | 6 men's singles titles | Stands alone |
| Barcelona Open | 1953 | 7 men's singles titles | Stands alone |
Grand Slam tournament records[link]
- These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis (since 1968).
- Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
- Records in italics are currently active streaks.
| Time span | Selected Grand Slam tournament records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Career Golden Slam | Andre Agassi |
| 2005 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Career Grand Slam | Rod Laver Andre Agassi Roger Federer |
| 2005 French Open — 2010 US Open |
2+ titles on grass, clay and hard courts[144] | Mats Wilander |
| 2005 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Youngest to achieve a Career Grand Slam (24)[144][145] | Stands alone |
| 2010 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Winner of Majors on clay, grass and hard court in calendar year | Stands alone |
| 2010 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Winner of three consecutive Majors in calendar year | Rod Laver |
| 2007 French Open — 2010 US Open |
4 finals reached without losing a set[a] | Bjorn Borg |
| 2010 French Open — 2010 US Open |
Simultaneous holder of Majors on clay, grass and hard court | Roger Federer |
| 2008 Olympics — 2010 US Open |
Simultaneous holder of Olympic singles gold medal and Majors on clay, grass and hard court | Stands alone |
| 2008 Wimbledon — 2008 Olympics |
Simultaneous holder of Olympic singles gold medal and Wimbledon | Stands alone |
| 2008 French Open — 2009 Australian Open |
Simultaneous holder of Olympic singles gold medal and three Majors | Andre Agassi |
| 2008 Olympics — 2010 US Open |
Simultaneous holder of Olympic singles gold medal and clay & hard court Majors | Andre Agassi |
| 2011 Wimbledon — 2012 Australian Open |
Three consecutive runner-up finishes[146][147] | Stands alone |
| Grand Slam tournaments | Time Span | Records at each Grand Slam tournament | Players matched |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Open | 2005–2011 | 6 titles overall[148] | Björn Borg |
| French Open | 2005–2011 | 6 titles in 7 years | Stands alone |
| French Open | 2005–2008 | 4 consecutive titles[148] | Björn Borg |
| French Open | 2005–2008, 2010–2011 |
6 finals overall | Björn Borg |
| French Open | 2005–2008 | 4 consecutive finals | Björn Borg Ivan Lendl Roger Federer |
| French Open | 2005–2009 | 31 consecutive match wins[148] | Stands alone |
| French Open | 2005–2011 | 97.92% (47–1) match winning percentage | Stands alone |
| French Open | 2008, 2010 | 2 wins without losing a set[148] | Björn Borg |
| French Open | 2005 | Won title on the first attempt | Mats Wilander |
| French Open—Wimbledon | 2008, 2010 | Accomplished a "Channel Slam": Winning both tournaments in the same year | Rod Laver Björn Borg Roger Federer |
ATP Masters records[link]
- Grand Prix Championship Series began in 1970.
- ATP Masters Series was introduced in 1990.
- Renamed ATP Masters 1000 in 2009.
| Time span | Selected Masters tournament records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2012 | 21 Masters 1000 titles overall[149] | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 16 Masters 1000 clay court titles | Stands alone |
| 2010 | Clay Slam[b] | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 8 consecutive years winning 1+ title | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 83.03% (230–47) winning percentage[150] | Stands alone |
Other selected records[link]
| Time span | Other selected records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2007 | 81 consecutive clay court match victories | Stands alone |
| 2002–2012 | 92.91% (249–19) clay court match winning percentage[151] | Stands alone |
| 2002–2012 | 85.20% (524–91) outdoor court match winning percentage[152] | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 7+ titles at 2 different tournaments[153] | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 8 titles overall at a single tournament (Monte Carlo) | Guillermo Vilas |
| 2005–2012 | 8 consecutive titles at a single tournament (Monte Carlo)[154] | Stands alone |
Playing style[link]
Nadal generally plays an aggressive, behind-the-baseline game founded on heavy topspin groundstrokes, consistency, speedy footwork and tenacious court coverage thus making him an aggressive counterpuncher.[155] Known for his athleticism and speed around the court, Nadal is an excellent defender[156] who hits well on the run, constructing winning plays from seemingly defensive positions. He also plays very fine dropshots, which work especially well because his heavy topspin often forces opponents to the back of the court.[157]
Nadal employs a full western grip forehand, often with a "lasso-whip" follow through, where his left arm hits through the ball and finishes above his left shoulder – as opposed to a more traditional finish across the body or around his opposite shoulder.[158][159] Nadal's forehand groundstroke form allows him to hit shots with heavy topspin – more so than many of his contemporaries.[160] San Francisco tennis researcher John Yandell used a high-speed video camera and special software to count the average number of revolutions of a tennis ball hit full force by Nadal. "The first guys we did were Sampras and Agassi. They were hitting forehands that in general were spinning about 1,800 to 1,900 revolutions per minute. Federer is hitting with an amazing amount of spin, too, right? 2,700 revolutions per minute. Well, we measured one forehand Nadal hit at 4,900. His average was 3,200."[161] While Nadal's shots tend to land short of the baseline, the characteristically high bounces his forehands achieve tend to mitigate the advantage an opponent would normally gain from capitalizing on a short ball.[162] Although his forehand is based on heavy topspin, he can hit the ball deep and flat with a more orthodox follow through for clean winners.
Nadal's serve was initially considered a weak point in his game, although his improvements in both first-serve points won and break points saved since 2005 have allowed him to consistently compete for and win major titles on faster surfaces. Nadal relies on the consistency of his serve to gain a strategic advantage in points, rather than going for service winners.[163] However, before the 2010 US Open, he altered his service motion, arriving in the trophy pose earlier and pulling the racket lower during the trophy pose. Before the 2010 U.S. Open, Nadal modified his service grip to a more continental one. These two changes in his serve increased his average speed by around 10 mph during the 2010 US Open, maxing out at 135 mph (217 km), allowing him to win more free points on his serve.[164] However, since the 2010 US Open, Nadal's serve speed has dropped back down to previous levels and has again been cited as a need for improvement.[165][166][167]
Nadal is a clay court specialist in the sense that he has been extremely successful on that surface. Since 2005, he won six times at Roland Garros, eight times at Monte Carlo and five at Rome. However, Nadal has shed that label due to his success on other surfaces, including holding Grand Slams simultaneously on grass, hard courts, and clay on two separate occasions, winning five Masters series titles on hardcourt, and winning the Olympic gold medal on hardcourt.[155][168] Despite praise for Nadal's talent and skill, some have questioned his longevity in the sport, citing his build and playing style as conducive to injury.[169] Nadal himself has admitted to the physical toll hard courts place on ATP Tour players, calling for a reevaluated tour schedule featuring fewer hard court tournaments.[170]
Public image[link]
Equipment and endorsements[link]
Nadal has appeared in advertising campaigns for Kia Motors as a global ambassador for the company. In May 2008, Kia released a claymation viral ad featuring Nadal in a tennis match with an alien. Nadal also has an endorsement agreement with Universal DVDs.[171]
Nike serves as Nadal's clothing and shoe sponsor. Nadal's signature on-court attire entailed a variety of sleeveless shirts paired with 3/4 length capri pants.[172] For the 2009 season, Nadal adopted more-traditional on-court apparel. Nike encouraged Nadal to update his look in order to reflect his new status as the sport's top player at that time[173] and associate Nadal with a style that, while less distinctive than his "pirate" look, would be more widely emulated by consumers.[174][175] At warmup tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Doha, Nadal played matches in a polo shirt specifically designed for him by Nike,[176] paired with shorts cut above the knee. Nadal's new, more conventional style carried over to the 2009 Australian Open, where he was outfitted with Nike's Bold Crew Men's Tee[177] and Nadal Long Check Shorts.[178][179][180] Nadal wears Nike's Air CourtBallistec 2.3 tennis shoes,[181] bearing various customizations throughout the season, including his nickname "Rafa" on the right shoe and a stylized bull logo on the left.
He became the face of Lanvin's L'Homme Sport cologne in April 2009.[182] Nadal uses an AeroPro Drive racquet with a 41⁄4-inch L2 grip. As of the 2010 season[update], Nadal's racquets are painted to resemble the new Babolat AeroPro Drive with Cortex GT racquet in order to market a current model which Babolat sells.[183][184] Nadal uses no replacement grip, and instead wraps two overgrips around the handle. He used Duralast 15L strings until the 2010 season, when he switched to Babolat's new, black-colored, RPM Blast string. Nadal's rackets are always strung at 55 lb (25 kg), regardless of which surface or conditions he is playing on[citation needed].
As of January 2010[update], Nadal is the international ambassador for Quely, a company from his native Majorca that manufactures biscuits, bakery and chocolate coated products; he has consumed their products ever since he was a young child.[185][186]
In 2010, luxury watchmaker Richard Mille announced that he had developed an ultra-light wristwatch in collaboration with Nadal called the Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon watch.[187] The watch is made of titanium and lithium and is valued at US$525,000; Nadal was involved in the design and testing of the watch on the tennis court.[187] During the 2010 French Open, Men's Fitness reported that Nadal wore the Richard Mille watch on the court as part of a sponsorship deal with the Swiss watchmaker.[188]
Nadal replaced Cristiano Ronaldo as the new face of Emporio Armani Underwear and Armani Jeans for the spring/summer 2011 collection.[189] This is the first time that the label has chosen a tennis player for the job; association football has ruled lately prior to Ronaldo, David Beckham graced the ads since 2008.[190] Armani said that he selected Nadal as his latest male underwear model because "...he is ideal as he represents a healthy and positive model for youngsters."[189]
In popular culture[link]
In February 2010, Rafael Nadal was featured in the music video of Shakira's "Gypsy".[191][192] and part of her album release She Wolf. In explaining why she chose Nadal for the video, Shakira was quoted as saying in an interview with the Latin American Herald Tribune: "I thought that maybe I needed someone I could in some way identify with. And Rafael Nadal is a person who has been totally committed to his career since he was very young. Since he was 17, I believe." She added about "Gypsy": "I've been on the road since I was very, very young, so that's where the gypsy metaphor comes from."[193][194][195]
Misc[link]
128036 Rafaelnadal is a Main belt asteroid discovered in 2003 at the Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca, Spain and named after Rafael Nadal.[196]
Off the court[link]
Involvement in football[link]
Nadal is an avid fan of association football club Real Madrid. On 8 July 2010, it was reported that he had become a shareholder of RCD Mallorca, his local club by birth, in an attempt to assist the club from debt.[197] Rafa reportedly owns 10 percent and was offered the role of vice president, but he rejected that offer.[198] His uncle Miguel Ángel Nadal, became assistant coach under Michael Laudrup. Nadal remains a passionate Real Madrid supporter; ESPN.com writer Graham Hunter wrote, "He's as Merengue as [Real Madrid icons] Raúl, Iker Casillas and Alfredo Di Stéfano." Shortly after acquiring his interest in Mallorca, he called out UEFA for apparent hypocrisy in ejecting the club from the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League for excessive debts, saying through a club spokesperson, "Well, if those are the criteria upon which UEFA is operating, then European competition will only comprise two or three clubs because all the rest are in debt, too."[199]
He is a fervent supporter of the Spanish national team, one of only six people not affiliated with the team or the national federation allowed into the team's locker room immediately following Spain's victory in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final.[199]
Philanthropy[link]
Rafael Nadal took part in Thailand's 'A Million Trees For The King' project, planting a tree in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on a visit to Hua Hin during his Thailand Open 2010. "For me it's an honour to part of this project," said Nadal. "It's a very good project. I want to congratulate the Thai people and congratulate the King for this unbelievable day. I wish all the best for this idea. It's very, very nice."[200]
Fundación Rafa Nadal[link]
The creation of the Fundación Rafa Nadal took place in November 2007, and its official presentation was in February 2008, at the Manacor Tennis Club in Mallorca, Spain. The foundation will focus on social work and development aid particularly on childhood and youth.[201] On deciding why to start a foundation, Nadal said "This can be the beginning of my future, when I retire and have more time, [...] I am doing very well and I owe society, [...] A month-and-a-half ago I was in Chennai, in India. The truth is we live great here....I can contribute something with my image..." Nadal was inspired by the Red Cross benefit match against malaria with Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, recalling, "We raised an amount of money that we would never have imagined. I have to thank Iker, my project partner, who went all out for it, [...] That is why the time has come to set up my own foundation and determine the destination of the money." Ana Maria Parera, Rafa's mom, chairs the organization and father Sebastian is vice-chairman. Coach and uncle Toni Nadal and his agent, former tennis player Carlos Costa, are also involved. Roger Federer has been giving Nadal advice on getting involved in philanthropy. Despite the fact that poverty in India struck him particularly hard, Nadal wants to start by helping "people close by, in the Balearic Islands, in Spain, and then, if possible, abroad."[202]
On 16 October 2010, Nadal traveled to India for the first time to assist in the transformation of one of the poorest and most needy areas of India, Andhra Pradesh. He has an academy in the south of the country, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. His foundation has also worked in the Anantapur Educational Center project, in collaboration with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.[203]
Personal life[link]
Nadal owns an Aston Martin DBS.[204] He lived with his parents and younger sister Maria Isabel in a five-story apartment building in their hometown of Manacor, Mallorca. In June 2009, Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, and then The New York Times, reported that his parents, Ana Maria and Sebastian, had separated. This news came after weeks of speculation in Internet posts and message boards over Nadal's personal issues as the cause of his setback.[205] He has revealed himself to be Agnostic.[206] When a young boy, he would run home from school to watch Goku in his favorite Japanese anime, Dragon Ball. CNN released an article about Nadal's childhood inspiration, and called him "the Dragon Ball of tennis" due to his unorthodox style "from another planet."[207]
Nadal's autobiography, Rafa, written with assistance from John Carlin,[208] was published in August 2011. Since 2005, Rafael Nadal has been dating Maria Francisca Perello (Xisca).[209] In addition to tennis and association football, Nadal enjoys playing golf.[210]
Footnotes[link]
- a The finals Nadal reached without losing a set were the 2007, 2008 & 2010 French Open and the 2010 US Open.
- b The "Clay Slam" consists of winning the Monte Carlo Masters, Rome Masters, Madrid Masters and French Open in the same year.
See also[link]
- ATP World Tour records
- List of ATP number 1 ranked players
- List of Grand Slam men's singles champions
- List of non-Grand Slam tennis statistics and records
- 128036 Rafaelnadal asteroid
- List of open era tennis records
- ATP Awards
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- ^ Head to Head Player Details
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- ^ a b "Rafael Nadal strips to his undies for Armani". Typicallyspanish.com. 2011-01-20. http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_28805.shtml. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
- ^ Cowles, Charlotte. "Rafael Nadal Replaces Cristiano Ronaldo as the New Face of Emporio Armani Underwear". Nymag.com. http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/12/raphael_nadal_replaces_cristia.html. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
- ^ "Music video for "Gypsy" by Shakira featuring Rafael Nadal". Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3-GiVIE8gc. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ "Shakira – Gypsy". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvH5KbwjCoo. Retrieved 6 June 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "',Latin American Herald Tribune',: Shakira: I Chose Nadal for Video Because I "Identify with Him"". Laht.com. http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=352754&CategoryId=13003. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ Source: Penny Newton (24 February 2010). "Shakira's Sexy New Video Gypsy". MTV. http://www.mtv.com.au/news/3347ebee-shakira-gypsy-mtv-exclusive/. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ Canada (24 February 2010). "Tom Tebbut in ',The Globe and Mail',: Nadal and Shakira?? Little chance". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/match-tough/nadal-and-shakira-little-chance/article1479555/. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ ATP WORLD TOUR, [www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2008/07/nadalasteroid.aspx Nadal asteroid]
- ^ "Soccer-Rafa Nadal becomes shareholder at troubled Real Mallorca". reuters. 9 July 2010. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE66727020100708.
- ^ "Sale of the club completed". realmallorca. 7 September 2010. http://www.realmallorca.co.uk/news/club/2010/sale-of-the-club-completed.
- ^ a b Hunter, Graham (9 September 2010). "Rafa to the rescue". ESPN. http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5542102/rafael-nadal-tries-save-mallorca-football-club. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
- ^ "ATP world tour". ATP world tour. 28 September 2010. http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2010/10/39/Bangkok-Nadal-Plants-Tree.aspx. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
- ^ "RAFA NADAL Foundation". Fundacionrafanadal.com. http://www.fundacionrafanadal.com/foundation/. Retrieved 2011-06-03. [dead link]
- ^ DPA (2008-02-13). "Rafael Nadal launches foundation". Earth Times News. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/185574,rafael-nadal-launches-foundation--feature.html. Retrieved 2011-06-03. [dead link]
- ^ "Rafa and his foundation in India". The Official Rafa Nadal Website - Rafaelnadal.com. http://www.rafaelnadal.com/content/rafa-and-his-foundation-india. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
- ^ Iancu, Madalina (16 February 2009). "Rafael Nadal Treats Himself with an Aston Martin DBS". autoevolution (SoftNews NET). http://www.autoevolution.com/news/rafael-nadal-treats-himself-with-an-aston-martin-dbs-4193.html. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ "Personal woes affecting Rafa?". ESPN. 23 July 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon09/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=4280346.
- ^ "Q&A with Rafael Nadal". Sports Illustrated. 16 July 2010. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_wertheim/07/16/nadal.interview/index.html.
- ^ Johnson, Christopher (8 October 2010). "Rafael Nadal: The 'Dragon Ball' of tennis". CNN International. http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/play/rafael-nadal-dragon-ball-tennis-216638. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ^ "More to Rafa than meets the eye" by Kamakshi Tandon ESPN.com August 26, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ^ "Rafael Nadal Girlfriend: Maria Francisca Perello Keeps Tennis Great Grounded" by Ryan Rudnansky September 12, 2011 Retrieved April 24, 2012.
- ^ Smith, Bill (28 March 2012). "Away from tennis court, Rafael Nadal seeks a golf course". miamiherald.com. http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717823/away-from-tennis-court-rafael.html. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rafael Nadal |
- Official website
- Rafael Nadal on Facebook
- Rafael Nadal at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Rafael Nadal at the International Tennis Federation
- Rafael Nadal at the Davis Cup
- Zen and the Art of Rafael Nadal
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nadal, Rafael |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Spanish tennis player |
| Date of birth | 3 June 1986 |
| Place of birth | Manacor, Majorca, Spain |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Rafael_Nadal
Related pages:
http://cs.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://es.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://ru.wn.com/Надаль, Рафаэль
http://nl.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://pt.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://id.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://it.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://pl.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://fr.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://de.wn.com/Rafael Nadal
http://hi.wn.com/रफ़ाएल नडाल
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Nadal
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Keith Floyd | |
|---|---|
| File:Keith Floyd1.jpg Floyd in 2000 |
|
| Born | (1943-12-28)28 December 1943 Reading, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom[1] |
| Died | 14 September 2009(2009-09-14) (aged 65)[2] Bridport, Dorset, England, United Kingdom |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Celebrity chef, television personality, businessman, restaurateur, author |
| Years active | 1984–2009 |
| Spouse | Julier Hatcher (?–?, divorced) Shaunagh Mullet (1991–94, divorced) Jesmond Ruttledge (?–?, divorced) Theresa Smith (1995–2008, divorced) |
| Partner | Celia Martin (?-2009, his death) |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Keith Floyd (28 December 1943 – 14 September 2009) was a British celebrity chef, television personality and restaurateur, who hosted cooking shows for the BBC and published many books combining cookery and travel. On television, his eccentric style of presentation endeared him to millions of viewers worldwide.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Floyd was born at Folly Farm near Reading, Berkshire on 28 December 1943[3] to working-class parents Sydney and Winnifred Floyd. He was brought up in a council house in the village of Wiveliscombe in Somerset. His family made financial sacrifices to enable him to be educated privately at Wellington School, Somerset.[1]
Floyd became a cub reporter on the Bristol Evening Post and after watching the film Zulu decided to join the British Army, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Royal Tank Regiment, where he pestered the mess cook to produce gourmet dinners.[1][4]
After three years, finding that he and the Army were "mutually incompatible", Floyd found employment in several catering-related jobs including barman, dishwasher and vegetable peeler.[5]
Career[link]
By 1971, Floyd had acquired three restaurants in Bristol, Floyd's Bistro in Princess Victoria Street in Clifton, Floyd's Restaurant in Alma Vale Road, and Floyd's Chop House in Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol.[1] All three restaurants had financial problems. Floyd sold the restaurants and the rights to the name "Floyd's Restaurant" and moved to the south of France, where again he opened a restaurant in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in the Vaucluse. After this again ended in financial problems, he moved back to England. With the help of loans from friends, he opened another restaurant in Chandos Road but, unable to use his own name, which he had sold, the establishment had a sign saying simply "Restaurant".
The restaurant in Chandos Road was frequented by actors and others connected with television. Floyd's first cookery book, Floyd's Food, published before he became a TV celebrity, had an introduction written by Leonard Rossiter, star of British TV sitcoms Rising Damp and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
Floyd's first foray into the world of show business was as a radio chef on Radio West, an independent commercial radio station in Bristol. TV producer David Pritchard then offered him a slot on BBC West regional magazine show RPM, presented by Andy Batten Foster. That led, in 1984, to his being offered his first BBC TV series Floyd on Fish , which started his rapid rise to national popularity. Floyd never described himself as a chef since he was untrained.
He became well known for cooking with a glass of wine in one hand, often in unusual locations such as a fishing boat in rough seas. He was regarded as a pioneer of taking cooking programmes out of the studio. The chef went on to present his shows from around the world, including France, Spain, Italy, India, Australia and the US, cooking on location in his unique chaotic style.[6]
He bought and ran the Maltsters Arms in Tuckenhay, Devon in the late 1980s. When he was not running the kitchen, chefs included Jean Christophe Novelli. He was more often seen at the bar than in the kitchen. The failure of the Maltsters led to his bankruptcy.
Despite TV success, Floyd continued to have financial problems and personal conflicts. He was declared bankrupt in 1996. The Daily Mirror claims that this happened after he personally guaranteed an order for £36,000 of drinks.[7] He lived in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland for a time in the mid-1990s.
In April 2008 he travelled to Singapore and Thailand in pursuit of new business ventures in Southeast Asia. Until his death he was actively involved in his restaurant Floyd’s Brasserie, located at the Burasari Resort on the popular Thai island of Phuket.[4] This was his first Asian restaurant and Phuket’s first ever celebrity chef restaurant, drawing a large following of Floyd fans who remember his many TV series and cookbooks.
Floyd travelled widely to cook local dishes and entertain people around the world. His cooking shows were often marked by a tendency to consume wine during the preparation of the food.[4]
A documentary Keith Meets Keith,[8] featuring actor and comedian Keith Allen interviewing Floyd, was broadcast on Channel 4 on 14 September 2009 and watched by nearly one million people. In the programme, Floyd admitted that away from the cameras, he often drank too much out of loneliness. It later emerged that Floyd had collapsed and died shortly before the broadcast.
Other television work[link]
Floyd can also be seen in a number of episodes of the children's television series Balamory, as a chef in Suzie Sweet's "Suzie's Cooking" song.[5]
In 2006, he also appeared on the ITV show Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, demonstrating to the boys how to bake a cake for their Ant vs Dec challenge of cake decorating, resulting in Dec (Donnelly) winning the challenge.[9]
Honours[link]
Floyd had a bistro bar named after him on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand (Floyd's Beach Bistro Restaurant).[10] The resort is within The Tong Sai Bay Hotel and is among the most exotic of those on the island. Floyd visited it while filming the series Far Flung Floyd in Thailand and developed a close relationship with the family who owned the resort.[11]
Personal life[link]
All four of Floyd's marriages ended in divorce; he had a son (Patrick) and daughter (Poppy):[12]
- Jesmond Ruttledge – son Patrick (born 12 November 1968)
- Julie Hatcher (married 1983) – daughter Poppy (born shortly after Christmas 1983)
- Shauna Mullett (married 1991 in Torbay, Devon; divorced 1994)
- Teresa Mary Smith (married 1995 in Wallingford district, Oxfordshire; divorced 2008).[13]
Floyd spent many years in France. In his last few years he lived in Avignon in the Vaucluse department of south-eastern France.[4]
Floyd was a big fan of rock group The Stranglers: the tracks "Waltzinblack", an edited version of "Peaches", and an instrumental version of "Viva Vlad" were used as theme music for most of his TV programmes.[4] Former Stranglers guitarist and vocalist Hugh Cornwell used to play guitar at Floyd's restaurant during his student days in Bristol and the two remained friends. In his book Floyd's Cockney Cuisine, Floyd also claimed to be a huge fan of 1980s punk/indie act Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine.
Illness and death[link]
In 2002 Floyd, a smoker and heavy drinker, was reported to have suffered a mild stroke, although he denied this in his autobiography. In November 2004 he was banned from driving for 32 months and fined £1,500 after crashing his car into another vehicle while three-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit.[14] He suspected he had lung cancer or emphysema in 2006, but was given the all-clear after a medical examination.[15] In 2006 he was diagnosed as suffering from malnutrition.[16] In August 2007 he was hospitalised in Thailand after collapsing in a restaurant.[17] He collapsed at a pub in Chesterton, Staffordshire on 29 January 2008 and was admitted to hospital. He was released on 22 February, travelling to his home in France to recuperate.[18] He made a full recovery and was back on his feet shortly afterwards. On 14 September 2008, exactly a year before his death, he fell out of bed and concussed himself. Paramedics spent three hours reviving him and he was hospitalised for several days.
On 29 July 2009, it was reported that Floyd had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in mid-June 2009. He underwent five serious operations, which removed 90% of the cancer; he subsequently underwent a course of chemotherapy at Nîmes Hospital. Despite his illness and heavy drinking, his liver was working at 100% capacity.[19] Floyd died of a heart attack, aged 65, on 14 September 2009,[2] at the Bridport, Dorset[20] home of his partner Celia Martin (née Constanduros,[21] born 1944, widow of screenwriter Dave Martin).[22] The following day, chefs provided quotes for the media. Anthony Worral Thompson said of him: "I think all of us modern TV chefs owe a living to him. He kind of spawned us all."[23] Marco Pierre White, told BBC radio Floyd "inspired a nation". White also said, "The thing which is very sad is a little piece of Britain today died which will never be replaced. He was a beautiful man, his ability to inspire people to cook just with his words and the way he did things was extraordinary. If you look at TV chefs today they don't have his magic. It's a very, very, very sad day for my industry and secondly for a nation.".[24] This despite, in Keith Meets Keith, Floyd severely criticising modern television chefs for promoting themselves more than the food.[8] Floyd's humanist funeral took place on 30 September 2009 in Bristol.[25]
Cookery shows[link]
- Floyd on Fish (2 October 1984)
- Floyd on a Pub Run (7 programmes, 23 July 1985 – 27 August 1985)
- Floyd on Food (6 programmes, 16 May 1986 – 27 June 1986)
- Floyd on France (7 programmes, 1 September 1987 – 20 October 1987)
- Floyd on Britain and Ireland (9 programmes, 30 August 1988 – 1 November 1988)
- Floyd's American Pie (6 programmes, 1 October 1989 – 8 November 1989)
- Floyd on Oz (9 programmes, 11 April 1991 – 6 June 1991)
- Floyd on Spain (7 programmes, 18 August 1992 – 29 September 1992)
- Far Flung Floyd (7 programmes, 13 July 1993 – 24 August 1993)
- Floyd on Italy (7 programmes, 12 July 1994 – 23 August 1994)
- Floyd on Africa (7 programmes, April 1996 – May 1996)
- Best of Floyd (7 programmes, 1997)
- Floyd Uncorked (8 programmes, 2 November 1998 – 21 December 1998)
- Floyd on GMTV (ITV, 12 programmes, 16 November 1998 – 24 December 1998)
- Floyd Around the Med (9 programmes, 5 January 2000)
- Capital Floyd (7 programmes, 4 December 2000)
- Floyd's India (8 programmes, 29 October 2001 – 17 December 2001)
- Floyd's Fjord Fiesta (7 programmes, December 2001)
Floyd on TV[link]
- Balamory (Guest Cameo in a number of episodes)
Bibliography[link]
- Floyd's Food (1981)
- Floyd on Fish (1985)
- Floyd on Fire: Cooking Outdoors (1986)
- Floyd on France: Learn to Cook the Keith Floyd (1987)
- Floyd on Britain and Ireland (1988)
- Floyd in the Soup (1988)
- A Feast of Floyd (1989)
- Floyd's American Pie (1989)
- Floyd on Oz (1991)
- Floyd on Hangovers (1993)
- A Pinch of Rosemary (1993)
- Floyd on France (1993)
- Floyd on Spain/Keith Floyd's Guide to Spanish Cooking (1993)
- Far Flung Floyd: Keith Floyd's Guide to Southeast-Asia Cooking (1994)
- Floyd on Fire: Barbecue the Floyd Way (1994)
- Floyd on Italy (1995)
- Hot and Spicy Floyd (1996)
- Floyd on Africa (1996)
- Cognac Cookery (1996)
- Keith Floyd Cooks Barbies (1997)
- The Best of Floyd (1997)
- Floyd Uncorked (1998)
- Floyd on Fibre (1999)
- Floyds Fjord Fiesta (1998)
- Out of the Frying Pan: Scenes from My Life (2000)
- Floyd Around the Med (2000)
- Flash Floyd (2002)
- Floyd's India (2003)
- 100 Great Curries (2004)
- Floyd's Great Curries (2004)
- Floyd's China (2005)
- Floyd's Thai Food (2006)
- A Splash and a Dash: Cooking with Keith Floyd (2006)
- Stirred But Not Shaken: The Autobiography (2009)
References[link]
- ^ a b c d "TV chef Keith Floyd dies from heart attack". Bristol Evening Post. 15 September 2009. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/homepage/TV-chef-Keith-Floyd-dies-heart-attack/article-1339257-detail/article.html. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ a b Booth, Jenny (15 September 2009). "Flamboyant TV chef Keith Floyd dies of heart attack". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article6834951.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=2015164. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ http://web.researcha.com/iccquery/detail/?did=7564398&c=uk
- ^ a b c d e Rushton, Susie (11 October 2007). "Floyd uncorked: A vintage encounter with TV's booziest". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/floyd-uncorked-a-vintage-encounter-with-tvs-booziest-foodie-394629.html. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ a b Churchill, Carolyn (15 September 2009). "Chefs pay tribute to ‘mischievous and inspirational’ cook Keith Floyd". The Herald Scotland. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/chefs-pay-tribute-to-mischievous-and-inspirational-cook-keith-floyd-1.920169. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ "In Pictures: Keith Floyd". BBC News. 15 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/8256416.stm. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ Mansey, Kate (3 June 2007). "Floyd chefs off". Sunday Mirror. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20070603/ai_n19201122. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Keith Meets Keith". Channel 4. 14 September 2009. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/keith-meets-keith. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
- ^ Moncrieff, Chris (15 September 2009). "Celebrity chef Keith Floyd dies aged 65". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/celebrity-chef-keith-floyd-dies-aged-65-1787497.html. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ "Floyd's Beach Bistro Restaurant". zibb.com. http://food.zibb.com/profile/floyd%27s+beach+bistro+restaurant/th/suratthani/ko+samui/84320/26389235. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ "Tongsai Bay hotel Koh Samui Island". asiarooms.com. http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/koh_samui_island/tongsai_bay-hotel.html. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ Sims, Paul (22 April 2006). "Mystery illness hits Keith Floyd". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-383840/Mystery-illness-hits-Keith-Floyd.html. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ "Marriages England and Wales 1984–2005". findmypast.co.uk (Subscription required). http://www.findmypast.co.uk/BirthsMarriagesDeaths.jsp. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ^ "TV chef banned for drink-driving". BBC News. 23 November 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/4035421.stm. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/floyd-my-death-fear-623447
- ^ Taylor, Jerome; Sharp, Rob (15 September 2009). "Cocktails and a slurp or two – Keith Floyd's final day". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/cocktails-and-a-slurp-or-two--keith-floyds-final-day-1787742.html. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ Smart, Gordon (8 September 2007). "Keith Floyd in Thailand collapse". The Sun (London). http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/266156/Keith-Floyd-in-Thailand-collapse.html.
- ^ "Chef Floyd recuperates in France". BBC News. 22 February 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7258858.stm. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
- ^ "Keith Floyd reveals battle against bowel cancer". Daily Mail (London). 30 July 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1203008/Keith-Floyd-reveals-battle-bowel-cancer.html. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ Gerryts, Rene (17 September 2009). "Bridport partner of TV chef Keith Floyd in shock at his sudden death". The Bridport News. http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/bridportnews/4633914.Bridport_partner_of_TV_chef_Keith_Floyd_in_shock_at_his_sudden_death. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ Farquhar, Simon (3 July 2007). "Dave Martin (Obituary)". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/jul/03/guardianobituaries.media. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ Floyd, Keith (23 September 2009). "Keith Floyd: Wives, wine, women and fame... my recipe for self-destruction". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1212912/KEITH-FLOYD-Wives-wine-fame--recipe-self-destruction.html. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
- ^ "Celebrity chef Keith Floyd dies". BBC News. 15 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8256260.stm. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
- ^ Celebrity chef dies of heart attack – The Sydney Morning Herald (via smh.com.au), 16 September 2009
- ^ "Keith Floyd funeral in Bristol". thisisbristol.co.uk. 30 September 2009. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/homepage/Keith-Floyd-funeral-latest/article-1380466-detail/article.html. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
External links[link]
- Official Website
- Floyd Uncorked – Floyd's blog at blogspot.com
- Floyd's Brasserie at Burasari Resort, Phuket
- Obituaries: The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent
- Reverse Engineering for Keith Floyd's Recipes
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Floyd, Keith |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Chef |
| Date of birth | 28 December 1943 |
| Place of birth | Reading, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Date of death | 14 September 2009 |
| Place of death | Bridport, Dorset, England, United Kingdom |
http://wn.com/Keith_Floyd
Related pages:
http://nl.wn.com/Keith Floyd
http://pt.wn.com/Keith Floyd
http://de.wn.com/Keith Floyd
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Floyd
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
