a province of Aragon, Spain, bounded N. by France, S. and S.W. by Saragossa, E. by Lérida, and W. and N.W. by Navarre. It is one of the three provinces into which Aragon was divided in 1833, and has an area of 7530 square miles, occupied by a population of 247,105. Huesca is drained by the rivers Arva, Aragon, Galego, Alcanadre, Cinca, Essera, and Noguera-Ribargoranza, and belongs entirely to the basin of the Ebro. The offshoots of the Pyrenees render the northern portion of the province mountainous; and some of the loftier summits are covered with perpetual snow. The mountainous portions are well wooded, but being generally precipitous possess little capability of culture. The more level districts are fertile and productive wherever water is sufficiently plentiful. The chief products of the soil are hemp, flax, fruits, legumes, wine, and cereals. The mountain pastures are excellent, and afford grazing for large numbers of mules, of superior quality, and cattle. Though hitherto little wrought, iron, copper, and other metals exist in great abundance throughout the mountainous districts of the province. The chief manufactures are linens, cloths, earthenware, glass, soap, and leather, and alpargatas, a kind of sandal peculiar to the locality.

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 Issuela, 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 Osisa, 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 Illesca (iii. 224), as the capital of the Vasctiani, when it was chosen by Sertorius as the seat of the university, which he founded 77 B.C. Julius Caesar names it Vencedora; and in the time of Augustus it was known by the name of Urbis victrix Osca 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.