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Ceuta

(Encyclopedia)Ceuta thāo͞oˈtä [key], autonomous city, c.7 sq mi (19 sq km), NW Africa, a possession of ...

Pillars of Hercules

(Encyclopedia)Pillars of Hercules, ancient mythological name for promontories flanking the east entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. They are usually identified with Gibraltar in Europe and with Mt. Acha at Ceuta i...

Melilla

(Encyclopedia)Melilla mālēˈlyä [key], autonomous city (2011 pop. 81,323), 5 sq mi (13 sq km), Spanish possession on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, NW Africa. Administered directly by the Spanish government...

Spanish Africa

(Encyclopedia)Spanish Africa, historical name for the Spanish possessions in Africa—Ceuta and Melilla (enclaves in Morocco), the Canary Islands, and Western Sahara. Spain also formerly held Ifni (now part of Moro...

Pereira, Nun'Álvares

(Encyclopedia)Pereira, Nun'Álvares no͞onˌälˈvərĭsh pərāˈrä [key], 1360–1431, Portuguese hero, called the Great Constable. He was the friend, counselor, and general of John I of Portugal. As a leader of...

Idrisi

(Encyclopedia)Idrisi ĕ– [key], in full Abu Abdallah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdallah Ibn Idris Al-Hammudi Al-Hasani Al-Idrisi, b. 1099?, d. after 1154, Arab geographer, b. Ceuta. He traveled in Europe, Asia Mi...

Gibraltar, Strait of

(Encyclopedia)Gibraltar, Strait of jĭbrôlˈtər [key], Lat. Fretum Herculeum or Fretum Gaditanum, passage, c.36 mi (58 km) long, connecting the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, between southernmost Spain and north...

Rif

(Encyclopedia)Rif rĭf [key] or Rif Atlas, range of the Atlas Mts., NE Morocco, NW Africa, curving along the Mediterranean coast from Ceuta to Melilla. Tidighin (8,056 ft/2,455 m) is the highest peak. Composed of s...

Roderick

(Encyclopedia)Roderick rŏdˈərĭk [key], d. 711?, last Visigothic king in Spain (710–711?). After the death of King Witiza, a group of nobles chose Roderick, duke of Baetica, as successor to the king. Having de...

John I, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)John I (John the Great), 1357?–1433, king of Portugal (1385–1433), illegitimate son of Peter I. He was made (1364) grand master of the Knights of Aviz and exercised his influence in opposition to ...

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