King Fahad
Today, I stood on the tip of Gibraltar, looking across the straits to Africa. It was a windy, blustery day. Chilly. Ships from a hundred countries were transiting the narrow passage, at anchor or putting in to Gib, Algeciras or Cueta.
And near the absolute tip, there was a mosque -- donated by King Fahad (from the spelling on the building itself) of Saudi Arabia. An austere white building, a slim minaret, and a domed main building. The whole complex was surrounded in a tasteful, but secure, white wrought-iron fence, about 15 feet high. The top of the dome was decorated with a gold (solid) crescent.
This spot has been British since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. A long time, in other words. Before that, it was in the hands of a host of other countries, and peoples. As far as we know, there were Neanderthals living on the Rock. Then the Phoenicians. Then the Romans. Then: Vandals, Goths and Visigoths. It came under Byzantine power from 300-711 ... when Umayyad General Tariq ibn Ziyad took it, crossing Cueta with a Berber army. The first Muslim occupation of the Rock. The name Gibraltar comes from the Arabic "jebl al Tariq," Tariq's mountain.
The muslims held it (although swapping with other Muslim dynasties and tribes) for about 600 years, when a Castillian army led by King Ferdinand IV took it. Almost nothing except a castle was built during the first 400 years of Moorish ownership. Then some small settlements developed. About 30 years later, the Muslims retook it under the Abd al-Malik, the son of the Marinid Sultan. The Moors held it for anothe 100 years during which Alfonso the XI beseiged in several times but died of the Black Death during the seige of 1350. Ultimately, in 1462, the Moors lost Gib for the last time.
In 1492, when the Catholic monarchs expelled the Jews from Spain to Norh Africa, many went by way of Gib. For the next 120 years or so, the Spanish nobility fought over Gib, with another 3 or 4 sieges. In 1606, the Moriscos (Muslim Spanish) were expelled from Spain and many went to North Africa by way of Gib. Don't forget the Barbary Pirates who made slaving raids on Gib during the 1540's.
In 1607, a Dutch fleet sailed down from Holland during the 80 Years War (yes, that is right) and blasted the crap out of the Spanish fleet anchored at Gib. Ballsy move. In 1625, the need for a permanent base in the Med for the English was first noted in government papers, with Gib as the first idea. In 1656, Cromwell made known his first desire to secure Gib for England.
In 1700, the Spainsh King Charles II died without heirs, and his will was contested by just about all of Europe, starting the Spanish Wars of Succession. In 1704, a joint English/Dutch force of marines beseiged the town, and forced the Spanish to surrender it to Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt -- in favour of the Habsburg pretender to the throne, Archduke Charles. When they entered the town, the English troops under Admiral George Rooke raised the Jack claiming it for England and in the name of Queen Anne (who ratified this action) and it has been "British" ever since. Is this the origin of the concept of getting "rooked?"
Needless to say, Philip IV of Spain was seriously pissed off, as was Charles the pretender (Philip of Bourbon, the son of Louis XIV was given all of Spain and possession by Charles II in his will). Although in the name of Charles III, the English really ran the place. The Spanish tried with overwhelming force to recapture the place, but ridiculously small garrisons (at one point but 17 persons) held of French and Spanish armies. Utlimately, Queen Anne declared it a free port in return for support and supply by the Sultan of Morocco.
In the Treaty of Utrech, Spain ceded Great Britain "the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications, and forts thereunto belonging ... for ever, without any exception or impediment whatsoever." And there it remains.
But what about that mosque? A new mosque on the site of the first Muslim conquest of Europe -- this is more than a mere memorial. When you see it, it seems unbelievable that it is there at all conisdering how many people have died trying to own that little bit of rock. But money speaks. And I cannot help but think that it is more than a "here we first invaded" thing, it has this weird feeling of "we have not forgotten." "We will return." And I don't like that.
And near the absolute tip, there was a mosque -- donated by King Fahad (from the spelling on the building itself) of Saudi Arabia. An austere white building, a slim minaret, and a domed main building. The whole complex was surrounded in a tasteful, but secure, white wrought-iron fence, about 15 feet high. The top of the dome was decorated with a gold (solid) crescent.
This spot has been British since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. A long time, in other words. Before that, it was in the hands of a host of other countries, and peoples. As far as we know, there were Neanderthals living on the Rock. Then the Phoenicians. Then the Romans. Then: Vandals, Goths and Visigoths. It came under Byzantine power from 300-711 ... when Umayyad General Tariq ibn Ziyad took it, crossing Cueta with a Berber army. The first Muslim occupation of the Rock. The name Gibraltar comes from the Arabic "jebl al Tariq," Tariq's mountain.
The muslims held it (although swapping with other Muslim dynasties and tribes) for about 600 years, when a Castillian army led by King Ferdinand IV took it. Almost nothing except a castle was built during the first 400 years of Moorish ownership. Then some small settlements developed. About 30 years later, the Muslims retook it under the Abd al-Malik, the son of the Marinid Sultan. The Moors held it for anothe 100 years during which Alfonso the XI beseiged in several times but died of the Black Death during the seige of 1350. Ultimately, in 1462, the Moors lost Gib for the last time.
In 1492, when the Catholic monarchs expelled the Jews from Spain to Norh Africa, many went by way of Gib. For the next 120 years or so, the Spanish nobility fought over Gib, with another 3 or 4 sieges. In 1606, the Moriscos (Muslim Spanish) were expelled from Spain and many went to North Africa by way of Gib. Don't forget the Barbary Pirates who made slaving raids on Gib during the 1540's.
In 1607, a Dutch fleet sailed down from Holland during the 80 Years War (yes, that is right) and blasted the crap out of the Spanish fleet anchored at Gib. Ballsy move. In 1625, the need for a permanent base in the Med for the English was first noted in government papers, with Gib as the first idea. In 1656, Cromwell made known his first desire to secure Gib for England.
In 1700, the Spainsh King Charles II died without heirs, and his will was contested by just about all of Europe, starting the Spanish Wars of Succession. In 1704, a joint English/Dutch force of marines beseiged the town, and forced the Spanish to surrender it to Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt -- in favour of the Habsburg pretender to the throne, Archduke Charles. When they entered the town, the English troops under Admiral George Rooke raised the Jack claiming it for England and in the name of Queen Anne (who ratified this action) and it has been "British" ever since. Is this the origin of the concept of getting "rooked?"
Needless to say, Philip IV of Spain was seriously pissed off, as was Charles the pretender (Philip of Bourbon, the son of Louis XIV was given all of Spain and possession by Charles II in his will). Although in the name of Charles III, the English really ran the place. The Spanish tried with overwhelming force to recapture the place, but ridiculously small garrisons (at one point but 17 persons) held of French and Spanish armies. Utlimately, Queen Anne declared it a free port in return for support and supply by the Sultan of Morocco.
In the Treaty of Utrech, Spain ceded Great Britain "the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications, and forts thereunto belonging ... for ever, without any exception or impediment whatsoever." And there it remains.
But what about that mosque? A new mosque on the site of the first Muslim conquest of Europe -- this is more than a mere memorial. When you see it, it seems unbelievable that it is there at all conisdering how many people have died trying to own that little bit of rock. But money speaks. And I cannot help but think that it is more than a "here we first invaded" thing, it has this weird feeling of "we have not forgotten." "We will return." And I don't like that.
posted by Zaphod at Tuesday, January 30, 2007
1 Comments:
good ol gibby
Droo
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