Catalan

Alphabet

A a a

B b be

C c ce

Ç ç ce trencada

D d de

E e e

F f efa

G g ge

H h hac

I i i

J j jota

K k ke

L l ela

M m ema

N n ena

O o o

P p pe

Q q cu

R r erre

S s esse

T t te

U u u

V v ve baixa

W w ve doble

X x ics, xeix

Y y i grega

Z z zeta

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History

As early as the sixth century BC, Greek merchants established trading posts along the Catalan coast, then inhabited by proto-Iberian tribes. By the third century BC, the Phoenicians and Carthaginians had settled in (Barcelona is said to derive its name from the Carthaginian rulers Hamilcar and Hannibal Barca). They in turn were replaced after the Punic wars by the Romans, who established Tarraco, now Tarragona, at their capital for northeastern Iberia. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths swept down from the north and took over as of the early fifth century AD.

Tarragona's Roman coliseum. Lions, lions don't be slow, eat those Christians - go cat go!In the eight century, Catalan Christians sought help from Charlemagne in repulsing the Moorish invaders, after which local counts achieved effective independence from the Frankish kings. The period following the Reconquest and the reign of Wilfred the Hairy (857 - 902) is recognized as the origin of the Catalan nation, and Barcelona soon became the dominant political and military force in the region. By the 13th century, under Jaume II, Barcelona rivaled Genoa and Venice as a maritime power, ruling over an empire that encompassed a large part of the Mediterranean. This is Catatonia's Golden Age. Prosperity led to the beginning of an important building boom, including many of the Romanesque and Gothic monuments described in this section.

CardonaDescendents of Wilfred the Hairy acquired the throne of neighboring Aragon by marriage, and from then on, the fate of Catalonia was linked, however tenuously, to that of Spain. Although the Catalan's obstinately defended the partial independence embodied in their ancient usatges (code of rights), pressure from Castille, especially the need for men and money for constant warfare, led to conflict and rebellion. The 1640 revolt, during which the Catalans changed their allegiance to Louis XIII of France, was crushed with the end of the 1652 siege of Barcelona by Don Juan of Austria. When the Catalan's again attempted to secede from Philip V's monarchy during the Spanish War of Succession, Catalonia finally lost its privileges with the humiliating surrender of Barcelona on September 11, 1714, today "celebrated" as Catalonia's National day.

La Manzana de la Discordνa in BarcelonaForever prosperous, republican and separatist, the Catalan's regained their autonomy briefly during the Second Republic, 1932 - 1939, only to be crushed by Franco and the Nationalists, whose repression of everything Catalan lasted until the new Constitution of 1977 reestablished a measure of self government. Since then, Catalonia has flourished in every way, becoming Spain's leading economic region with almost 20% of GNP for a region that is only 6% of Spain's land mass and 15% of the population.