Key Dates In Gibraltars History


711-1462 Moorish Period (751 years, eight sieges)
1462-1704 Spanish Period (242 years, three sieges)
1309-1333 Brief Spanish Occupation
1704 British (three sieges)

200,000 - 70,000 BC
After second ice-age, Neanderthal Man probably passes from Africa into Europe through Gibraltar

70,000 – 30,000 BC
Neanderthal Man inhabits Gibraltar

1,200 – 500BC
Phoenicians, Greek, Carthaginians. Birth of mythology. The Rock of Gibraltar called Tartesia by Phoenicians and fable of the end of the world. Singing mermaids, Mel-Carth who broke a mountain and sea-flooded the Mediterranean.

500BC -475AD
Romans called this “God” Hercules and Gibraltar became one of the Pillars of Hercules, Mons Calpe, the other being Mons Abyla, now called Jbel Musa, in North Africa.

475 – 700 AD
Visigoths and Vandals destroyed all previous culture in the area of Gibraltar.

710AD
First Arab and Berber Troops scout Gibraltar and surrounding areas.

711AD
12,000 Arab and Berber Troops land from North Africa. This conquest of the Iberian Peninsular begins-lasted seven centuries. Gibraltar taken by Tarik-Ibn-Zeyad, who gave Gibraltar its name: Jbel Tarik’s Mountain. No opposition from Visigoths.

1,000 – 1,300AD
Christian reconquest of Iberian Peninsular

1st Century
Pomponius Mela, Roman travel guide, describes a shrine to Hercules; Mons Calpe opposite Mons Abyla, also St Michael’s Cave described with much bigger entrance.
8th Century
Gibraltar’s first fort built by Moors

1160
Al-Mu’min designs Medina el fath (City of Victory), sends architect from Malaga, fortifies Moorish Wall.

1309
Gibraltar receives its first Municipal Constitution, declared free port. Free pardon granted to all malefactors who agree to live in Gibraltar.

1309-1333
Brief Spanish occupation

1316
Second Siege – Moorish recapture attempt fails

1333
Fortification of Gibraltar by the Moors. Large castle, harbour, wall in the Upper Rock, mosques, palaces and baths built.
Third Siege, after four months, Vasco Perez surrenders to the Moors
Fourth Siege, Alfonso XI tries to recapture the Rock but fails.

1349-1350
Fifth Siege, Alfonso XI tries again but dies of plague in March 1350.

1390
Alonso de Guzman takes Gibraltar after one month’s siege.

1411
Sixth Siege, Rock taken by forces of the Granadian Moorish Kingdom from the Kingdom of Fez.

1436
Seventh Siege, Henry de Guzman, Count of Niebla, fails to capture the Rock and is killed in the attempt.

1462
Alonso de Arcos initiates an attack and is joined by other Spanish forces before Gibraltar is captured in the name of the Duke of Medina on August 20th St Bernard’s Day. Later in the year the Crown of Spain annexes it, the Duke giving up in protest.

1466-1467
Ninth Siege- Henry de Guzman, son of Medina, captures the Rock after a siege of fifteen months.

1479-1492
Final defeat of main Moorish kings in Spain by Christian armies. Spain emerges as a nation under one King and Queen (Ferdinand and Isabel) 1479.
The last Moorish king defeated in 1492.

1501
Queen Isabella of Spain embroiders coat of arms of Gibraltar which has perpetuated to this day as the coat of Arms of the City (the Castle and Key).

1504
Gibraltar named “Most Loyal City of Gibraltar” by “Crazy Jane” (Juana la Loca) who succeeded Isabella as Queen.

1506
Tenth Siege, Third Duke of Medina imposes a blockade but gives up.

1540
Barbarosa’s Turkish pirates land and pillage. Taking captives away with them. Most of the captives saved by a Spanish naval squadron.

1543
Charles V improved fortifications. Sent Juan Bautista Calvi to build Charles V Wall.

1575
Philip II Wall Started

1581
La Merced – White Friars of Our Lady of Ransom established in Irish Town and became Gibraltar’s first tunnellers.

1609
Last Moors expelled from Spain by Philip III - over 600,000Moors forced to embark from Gibraltar and surrounding area, to sail to North Africa.

1624
Philip IV improves defences and adds gun platforms to Line Wall Road.

1627
Don Luis, Bravo de Acuna prepares an audit for the Spanish crown of all the buildings and defences of Gibraltar. It is the earliest surviving accurate map of Gibraltar, kept at the British Museum, copy at the Gibraltar Museum.

1654
Cromwell considers attack on Gibraltar.

1693
Admiral Rooke escorting a British convoy, shelters in Gibraltar after a French attack.

1704
Eleventh siege, War of Spanish succession. The British worried of a Franco-Spanish empire, support Hapsburg claim to the throne. British fleet under Admiral Rooke land British and Dutch forces on the 23rd July under Prince George of Hesse. They capture the Rock on behalf of Charles III of Spain on the 4th August.

1704-1705
Twelfth siege-Forces supporting Philip V of Spain begin an attack on the Rock in October. The siege continues until April 1705, but is unsuccessful.

1713
Spain cedes Gibraltar to Britain by Article X of the Treaty of Utrecht.

1727
Thirteenth siege, Spanish and French attempt made to recapture Gibraltar. After five months, hostilities are suspended.

1760
British discover plot by traitors to surrender Gibraltar.

1779-1783
Fourteenth siege, also known as the Great siege, lasted from June 1779-February 1783. Spanish and French forces besiege the Rock,
Relieving fleets arrive in 1780, 1781 and 1782.

1781
27th November - Grand Sortie, led by General Elliott, wrecked the Spanish lines.

1782
13th September, Destruction of the Floating Batteries.

First British tunnels commenced with Ince’s Great Siege Tunnels.

1802
Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, father of Queen Victoria, lasted one year as governor. Garrison mutinied – he built his own brewery at Nun’s Well which was converted to brewery Barracks in 1804-1805.

1805
Admiral Lord Nelson died at Trafalgar and his body is brought to Gibraltar on board HMS Victory. His victory at Trafalgar removes the threat of another siege.
1807
Frontier opens when Napoleon invades Spain

1808
Battle of Barrosa – Helped Spaniards thrash French. Residents of San Roque fled to Gibraltar for shelter.

1810-1814
Gibraltar proves of incalculable help during the Napoleonic Wars.

1816
Opening of the Alameda Gardens.

1830
Gibraltar becomes crown colony. Granted Civil Liberties and Charter of Justice.
25th June, The Gibraltar police became operational, making it the oldest police force in the commonwealth and the second oldest in the world. The Metropolitan Police, had been formed some nine months earlier.

1838-1841
Trinity Lighthouse reconstructed at Europa Point.

1848
Gibraltar skull recovered from Forbes Quarry by Flint.

1865
Sanitary Commissioners appointed.

1871
The Fire Brigade was established in Gibraltar.

1872
Marie Celste, greatest sea mystery ever, brought before the courts of Gibraltar.

1882
St Bernard’s Hospital re-constructed on the site of the Blue Barracks, which had been constructed on the site of the Spanish hospital.

1891
Utopia disaster. Immigrant ship on its way to Australia blown broadside onto the HMS Anson and sank with the loss of 551 lives.

1893
Work began on the South Mole, marking the start of the building of the naval harbour of 440 acres, completed by 1905.

1903-1911
HM Dockyard built.

1914-1918
World War I, Gibraltar used for examination for contraband, convoy collection and anti-submarine operations.

1918
HMS Britannia torpedoed in the strait by the German submarine U50, hundreds perished.

1921
City council, first elections.

Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce established.

1929
Driving changes to the right.

1930
23rd July Gibraltar Museum officially opened by Governor Sir Alexander Godley.

1939-1945
World War II. Gibraltar again used for convoy collection and as base for anti-submarine operations. It is main base for the launching of the British and American campaign in North Africa.

1940
All Gibraltar population, excepting a few essential staff were evacuated to the UK, Madeira, Northern Ireland and Jamaica. Major tunnelling works by the British and Canadian Engineers.

1941
German submarine U81 torpedoed the Ark royal 25 miles east of Gibraltar.

1941-1944
Runway at North front being built using the rock excavated from the tunnelling work.

1942
Operation Torch – general D Eisenhower conducts the landing of North Africa from a tunnel in Gibraltar.

1943
General Waladyslaw Sirkoski dies in aircrash at Gibraltar.

1950
First legislative council established.

1951
The ammunition ship, Bedenham, blew up while unloading depth charges onto lighters at Gun Wharf.

1954
10th May, Queen Elizabeth II visits Gibraltar.

Spanish Consul withdrawn and frontier restrictions implemented.

1958
16th February 1150 hours – Radio Gibraltar on air for the first time.

1960
First concert held at St Michael’s Cave – 450 people.

1962
October, Gibraltar Television started and is taken over as Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation in October 1963.

1964
First address to Un Committee of 24.

1966
Cable Car commences operations.

1966-1968
Spain claims Gibraltar at United Nations.

1967
First referendum – Gibraltarians vote 99.9% to remain British (12,138 British – 44 Spanish.

Wilson – Smith Tiger Talks at Gibraltar.

1968
Vehicular traffic to Spain stopped from crossing the frontier. Telephone communications cut.

1969
Constitution granted fully responsible internal self-government.
Spain closes frontier, ferry to Algeciras withdrawn and telephone links with Spain cut.

1972
Royal Engineers bi-centenary – granted Freedom of the City.

1975
Franco dies.

1977
The Strasbourg process starts.

1980
Anglo-Spanish talks on Gibraltar at Lisbon. Lisbon Agreement signed.

1982
15th December, frontier opens to pedestrians only.

1984
Brussels Agreement in December regarding opening of the frontier.

1985
5th February, full opening of the frontier.

2002
7th November, 2nd Gibraltar Referendum, 98.9% vote to remain British.