CATALONIA (Spanish Cataluna), for merly a semi-independent principality of Spain, then a part of the domains of the Crown of Aragon and now a captaincy-general of the Spanish kingdom. Catalonia, which is com posed of the four provinces, Gerona, Lerida, Barcelona and Tarragona, occupies the north east corner of Spain. It is bounded on the east by the Mediterranean Sea, on the north by the Pyrenees, on the west by Aragon and on the south by Valencia. It comprises about 12, 500 square miles of territory and has a popu lation of about 2,000,000. The country, on the whole rugged, contains many fertile valleys watered by numerous streams and rivers, none of which are navigable. Along its coast of 240 miles are numerous harbors, the best of which are Barcelona, Tarragona, MatarO and Rosas. Of the rivers of the country, all of which flow into the Mediterranean, the Ebro alone is worthy of note, though most of the streams are famed in the traditions of the peo ple and its rulers. In the regions of the inte rior, which are traversed by a spur of the Pyrenees running in a southern direction in a very broken formation, are many wooded hills and peaks from which much commercial wood is taken. But the non-wooded lands, wherever workable, are nearly all devoted to agriculture. The rugged hillsides, however, support many goats and sheep; but comparatively few cattle. Everywhere the country is visited by mists and rains, and these make the low coast lands fer tile. Though hot they are healthful except in the low and swampy parts, which are compara tively few. In the higher regions the climate passes from cool and temperate to quite cold, for the snow lies on the mountain summits nearly the whole year.
The people of Catalonia, owing to the fact that for centuries they have had to defend their language, customs and individuality, have become clannish. They had originally a clan system, the country being occupied by numerous independent tribes who never united except in case of common danger. Among these tribes who distinguished themselves during the Roman connection with Catalonia or later were the Ceretanos, Russinos, Indigentes, Lacetanos, Laletanos, Suesetanos, Sedetanos, Cosetanos, Acetanos, Ilergentes, Ilercanos and Ausetanos. These and the other tribes of Catalonia, not withstanding their lack of political unity and nationality, were great traders and very active in all the occupations and pursuits of life. They were venturesome sailors and traded up and down the coast, along which they appear to have planted colonies before the coming of out siders to their land. The first of these were the Phoenicians who for a considerable space of time carried on trade relations with the east coast of Spain. The natives learned much from their more cultured neighbors; and, imitating them, they became still bolder sailors and are said to have sailed out through the Straits of Gibraltar and to have coasted down the west coast of Africa for a considerable distance. The Greeks followed the Phxnicians to Cata lonia, and were also received in a most friendly manner by the natives, who also increased their knowledge of civilization through their contact with the Greeks.
This prosperity and peace was broken up by the Carthaginians under Hamilcar, who, hearing that Catalonia was rich in gold mines, landed a large force of trained soldiers on the coast with a view of conquest. A prolonged and desperate
struggle followed; and several times the Carthaginians suffered defeat. Hannibal fol lowed his father to Spain and had the same fierce struggle. Whenever the invaders were victorious they put the natives to the sword. It was during this struggle that Barcelona was founded on the coast as a fortress and place of refuge for the invaders driven back from the interior. When war broke out between Rome and Carthage, C. Scipio seized the coast of Catalonia, and P. Cato, after a long and desperate struggle, finally reduced the country to slavery. The devastated land was redi vided, policed by the Roman army and peace finally settled down upon it. In the course of time many of the natives rose to prominence throughout the conquered land and tfie Romans and the Catalans intermarried and formed a mestizo race which had already become a strong factor in the national life before the over throw of Roman power. Flourishing towns and cities sprang up all over Catalonia. Over (i(X) of these are mentioned on the Roman tribute lists, which were kept at Tarragona, the capital of the province. Roman law was ex tended everywhere throughout Catalonia; and roads, temples, theatres, circuses, public baths and magnificent private residences and stately temples existed in all the chief cities, until at last Catalonia became another Italy and the favored province of the Romans. The Em peror Adrian gave a special constitution to Catalonia; and Rome looked upon the country as one of the storehouses of the empire.
But the invasion of the Goths and other bar barians once more arrested the prosperity of Catalonia; which finally, after another period of desperate struggle, became the head of a kingdom founded by Ataulfo. In the time of Teodorico a popular insurrection against the harshness of the government of the native rulers started in Catalonia and spread rapidly over all Spain. Civil war lasted for over half a century and numerous Spanish generals sent to reduce Catalonia were themselves signally defeated. Shortly after peace had been re stored the Arabs overran the coast; but they found the Catalans as hard to conquer as had the other invaders, for they were defeated several times, and signally so in 756. Other hands of Saracens were driven out with the help of Charles the Great. Catalonia was an nexed to Aragon through the marriage of the heads of the two countries, and it was under French rule three different times between 1640 and 1813. It fought gallantly and savagely in the wars against Napoleon and took part in the civil wars in Spain in 1820, 1823, 1827 and in the later Carlist troubles. In 1842 Barcelona was bombarded by the Spanish army; and dur ing the struggle that preceded and followed this bombardment it several times defeated noted Spanish leaders. Barcelona is the great revolutionary centre of Spain to-day; and this is probably why the people cling so tenaciously to their customs and language.
Bibliography.—Balaguer, (Historia de Cata luna' (Madrid) ; Balari y Jovany, 'Origins His toricos de Cataluna' (Barcelona); Bofarull y Sans, 'Antigua Marina Catalana' (Barcelona); Campany, (Memorias Historicas' (Madrid); Gil Maestre M., 'Anarquismo en Espana' (Madrid) ; Pefferrer and others, sus monumentos, artes, etc.' (Barcelona); Tomich, e Conquetas dels Comtes de Barcelona' (Barcelona).