a handsome, rich, and strong city of Spain, in the province of Catalonia, of which it is the capital. This city was originally founded by Hamilcar Barcas, and from him called Barcino. It was reduced by the Romans, and continued subject to them till the kingdom of Spain was overrun by the Goths and Vandals, and afterwards by the Saracens or Moors. In the beginning of the 9th century, Barcelona was in the hands of the Moors, and under the government of one Zade. This governor having more than once abused the clemency of Charlemagne, at last irritated Lewis king of Aquitain, and son to Charles, to such a degree, that he gave orders to his generals to invest the city, and not to rise from before it till they had put Zade into his hands. The Moor made a most obstinate resistance, so that the siege lasted many months: at last, finding it impossible to preserve the city much longer, and being destitute of all hopes of relief, he determined, or rather was compelled by the inhabitants, to go to the Christian camp and implore the emperor's mercy; but here he was no sooner arrived than he was arrested and sent prisoner to Charlemagne, who condemned him to perpetual banishment. The people gaining nothing by this expedient, continued to hold out for six weeks longer, when the king of Aquitain himself took the command of the siege. To him they made a proposal, that if he would allow them to march out and go where they pleased, they would surrender the place. Lewis having agreed to this, made his public entry into Barcelona, where he formed a design of extending his father's dominions as far as the Ebro; but being recalled before he could put his design in execution, Barcelona, he appointed one Berà count of Barcelona. The city continued subject to him and his successors, who still enjoyed the title of counts of Barcelona, from the year 862 to 1131; during which time we find nothing remarkable, except that the city was once taken by the Moors, but soon after retaken by the affiance of Lewis IV. king of France. In 1131 it was united to the crown of Arragon by the marriage of Don Raymond V. count of Barcelona with the daughter of Don Ramiro the monk, king of Arragon. In 1465 the Catalonians revolted against Don Juan II. king of Arragon, out of hatred to his queen Donna Juana; the consequence of which was, that Barcelona was besieged by that monarch in 1471. Various efforts were made by Lewis XI. of France and the duke of Lorraine in order to raise the siege, but without effect. Things at length were brought to the utmost extremity, when the king offered to pardon them all, without the smallest punishment either in person or property, provided they would submit; but these terms they rejected, chiefly through the influence of the count de Pailhars, who had been pardoned the year before. The army, on the other hand, was very earnest on being led on to the assault, in hopes of plunder. The king, however, wrote a letter to the citizens, dated the 6th of October, in terms as affectionate as if he had been writing to his children, bewailing the miseries they had brought on themselves, and concluding with a protestation that they, and not he, must be answerable for the consequences. Upon this, at the persuasion of a priest who had a reputation for sanctity, they sent deputies to the king, and made a capitulation on the 17th of the same month. In this the king acknowledged they had taken up arms on just motives; and forgave every body except Pailhars, who was, however, suffered to escape. On the 22d of October the king made his entry into the city, and confirmed all their ancient privileges. In 1697, Barcelona was taken by the French, after a bloody siege of 52 days; and the loss of this city had a considerable effect in disposing the Spaniards to agree to the treaty of Ryswick. In Queen Anne's time it was taken by the allies under the earl of Peterborough; but being afterwards shamefully denied affiance by the English ministry, was obliged to submit to Philip II. by whom the whole province was deprived of its ancient privileges; for a particular account of which, see the article SPAIN.

Barcelona is situated by the sea-side, of a form between a square and an oval. It is surrounded with a good brick wall, round which is another, with 14 battlements, horn-works, ramparts, and ditches; the ramparts are high, broad, and spacious, insomuch that 100 coaches may be seen every evening driving thereon for pleasure. The city is divided into two parts, the Old and the New, which are separated from each other by a wall and a large ditch; the streets are handsome, well paved with large stones, wide, and very clean. It is the residence of a viceroy, is a bishop's see, has a fine university, a mint, a good port, and is adorned with handsome buildings. Here is a court of inquisition, which the inhabitants look upon as an advantage. The remarkable buildings are the cathedral, which is large, handsome, and adorned with two high towers, the church of the Virgin Mary, the palace of the bishop, that of the inquisition, and several religious houses: add to these the palace of the viceroy; the arsenal, Barcelona which contains arms for 1000 men; the exchange, where the merchants meet; the terfana, where they build the galleys; and the palace where the nobility of the country meet, called La Casa de la Deputation. This last is built with fine large freestone, and adorned with columns of marble: there is in it a large hall, with a gilt ceiling and a handsome portico, wherein persons may either walk or sit; the hall is adorned with the portraits of all the counts of Barcelona. There are several fine squares, particularly that of St Michael, into which all the great streets run. The port is wide, spacious, deep, and safe; defended on the one side by a great mole, and on the other sheltered from the west wind by two mountains that advance into the sea, and form a kind of promontory: the mole is 750 paces long, with a quay, at the end of which is a light-house and a small fort. One of the mountains, called Mount Joy, is very high, and rises in the middle of the plain near the city: it is covered with gardens, vineyards, groves of trees, and has a strong fort for the defence of the city. This mountain, being a rock, yields an inexhaustible quarry of fine hard freestone. Barcelona is a place of great trade, on account of the convenience of its harbour; and it has a manufacture of knives greatly esteemed in Spain, as also of blankets. Here are also several glass houses. The inhabitants are diligent, and equally fit for labour and trade; they are also very civil to strangers. The women are well shaped, and as handsome as any in Spain; they are brisk and lively in their conversation, and more free and unrestrained in their behaviour than in other parts of Spain. E. Long. 2. 5. N. Lat. 41. 26.