HUESCA, a very ancient town of Spain, capital of a cognominal province in Aragon. It stands on the slope of a hill in the centre of an extensive plain near the right bank of the Isuela, 35 miles from Saragossa, and 70 from Lérida. The houses are generally two storeys in height, and built with considerable uniformity; and there are several public squares; but the walls which anciently surrounded the city are now almost altogether in ruins. The principal public buildings are the cathedral, four parish churches, the royal College of Santiago founded by Charles V., and those of St Vincent, Santa Orosia, and Santa Cruz; the "Sertorio" University founded in 1354 by Pedro IV.; and the town-hall. There are also a foundling hospital, and numerous convents; two public granaries and two cavalry barracks. The industry of Huesca is chiefly confined to articles of
domestic use, common coarse cloths, and leather. The annual fair held in Huesca is well frequented.
This city is so ancient that no account of its foundation was known at the birth of Christ. Strabo gives its name Ileosca (iii. 224), as the capital of the Vascitani, when it was chosen by Sertorius as the seat of the university, which he founded 77 B.C. Julius Cæsar names it Venedora; and in the time of Augustus it was known by the name of Urbis victrix Osea which was stamped on its coins, and has been preserved on its arms. In 1096 A.D., Pedro I. of Aragon conquered this city after having gained in its immediate neighbourhood the battle of Alcoraz, where he slew 4000 Saracens and four Moorish kings or sheiks. This battle was fought Nov. 25, after a siege of two years. From this date it has borne for its arms the heads of the four Moorish kings, with the addition of a cross which appeared miraculously in the heavens. Pop. 9200.