BADAJOZ', called by the Romans Pax Augusta, and by the Moors Beledaix, i.e., "Land of Health," is the capital of the Spanish province the same name. It is situ ated about 5 m. from the borders of Portugal, in a fruitful district on the left hank of the Guadiana, which is here crossed by a stone bridge of 28 arches. It has 22,195 inliab itants, is a fortress of the first rank, the residence of a captain-general, and the see of a bishop, and has an old cathedral with a splendid organ, and paintings by Mateo Cerezo and Morales, who was born at B.; a brisk traffic, chiefly contraband, is carried on with Portugal. Its chief articles of manufacture are soap, coarse woolens, leather, and delft ware. As one of the keys of. Portugal, B. has often been a place of importance in war. It was besieged in vain by the Portuguese in 1660, and again by the allies, in the Span ish war of succession, in 1705. During the French war, B. was besieged by the French
in 1808 and in 1309, and again in 1811, when it surrendered, Mar. 11, to Soult. It wits thrice besieged by the English under Wellington: first on April 17, 1811. after the con quest of Olivenza, on which occasion, the approach of Soult to its relief caused the siege to be raised on the 14th of May; the second time, after the battles of Fuentes d'Onor and Albuera, the city was invested from May 27 to June 10, 1811, but still in vain. The third investment, Mar. 17, 1812, ended in the taking of the city by storm. on the night of April (1, after a murderous contest, and a loss, during the twenty days' siege, of 72 officers and 963 men killed, and 306 officers and 3483 men province of B. has au area of 8687 sq.m., and a population of (1870)431,922. See Esznu