ALCALA DE HENARES, a city of Spain, on the river Henares, in the province of New Castile. It was formerly celebrated for its university, which has latterly been transferred to Madrid. This university was founded by Cardinal Ximenes, and it was here that the famous edition of the Holy Bible, known as the Complutensian Polyglot, was prepared. Alcalá contains 5153 inhabitants, and has a military school for the artillery and engineer corps. Among many distinguished men to whom it had the honour
of giving birth are, the poet Figueroa, the naturalist Bustamante de la Cámara, the historian Solís, and last and greatest of all, Cervantes.