Page:LA2-NSRW-4-0321.jpg

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.


SPALDING

1789

SPANISH AFRICA

united. Alfonso I conquered Galicia, with a part of Leon and Castile, and called himself the king of the Asturias; and Alfonso III, taking possession of the whole of Leon, called it the kingdom of Leon. Navarre was an independent state in the gth century, and became a powerful kingdom. Castile, at first a republic, was afterwards subject to Leon, then again independent until Ferdinand the Great united it with Leon. Aragon, first a part of Navarre, became an independent kingdom, and then was united with Catalonia. In 1037 the union of Leon, Castile and Galicia made Ferdinand the Great the most powerful ruler in Spain. The marriage of Isabella of Castile with Ferdinand of Aragon united those kingdoms, and the conquest of Granada completed the consolidation; which, with the conquest of Naples, the discovery of America by Columbus and the possession of large parts of the new continent, raised Spain to a high place among European nations. Philip II exhausted the strength of the country in his wars with the Netherlands, in his great preparations for the Invincible Armada and in building the Escorial. The great kingdom he had inherited from his father, Charles V, began to show decline. Spain sided with the emperor in the Thirty Years's War, but received nothing in return, and soon became a subject of contest between the different European powers. Philip V was the first of the Bourbon kings of Spain, whose accession led to the war of the Spanish Succession, ending in the peace of Utrecht in 1712. From 1808 till 1813 Joseph Bonaparte was king of Spain, though the people did not acknowledge him. Ferdinand VII was restored to power in 1814, and by the help of the French triumphed over the Liberal party in the kingdom. Florida was sold to the United States, and a large part of the South American colonies were lost during this reign. During the regency of Christina and the reign of Isabella the Liberal party gained ground until Isabella fled to France in 1878, resigning in favor of her son Al-phonso XII. There were a provisional government for two years, then a short reign by Amadeus of Savoy and finally a republic, ending with the second Carlist war from 1872 to 1876. Don Carlos, who claimed the throne as a brother of Ferdinand, withdrew to France, and Alphonso XII reigned 11 years. The present king, Alphonso XIII, was born in 1886, but the country was governed by his mother as queen-regent until 1904. During 1868-78 Cuba struggled unsuccessfully for independence, Campos of Spain distinguishing himself then and again in 1895. The second revolt of Cuba (that of 1895) led to the Spanish-American war of 1898, that resulted in the complete destruction of the Spanish fleet and the loss of all colonies, save those in

Africa. See SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. Consult Philip II by Prescott; The Moors in Spain by Poole; Wanderings in Spain by Hare; and Castilian Days by John Hay.

Spalding, John Lancaster, Roman Catholic bishop of Peoria, 111., was born at Lebanon, Ky., on June 2, 1840. After passing through the public schools of his own town, he attended St. Mary's College at Emmetsburg, Md. He received the degree of doctor of divinity at Louvain, Belgium, in 1863. After ordination he took a special course at Rome, Italy, and when 25 returned to the United States, For a time he was secretary and chancellor of the diocese of Louisville, at which time he took part, as a theologian, in the second plenary council of Baltimore. His first literary task was writing the life of his uncle (Archbishop Spalding of Baltimore). In 1872 he moved to New York City, where he was assistant-rector of St. Michael's Church, a post which he held until he was made the first bishop of Peoria on May i, 1877. HG nas several times refused further elevation in the church. As a writer John Lancaster Spalding is even better known than as a prelate, and as a lecturer he holds a distinguished place in this country. His literary style has been compared to that of Emerson. Among his published works are Socialism and Labor; Thoughts and Theories of Life and Education; Education and the Higher Life; and Things of the Mind. Aside from his interest in secular educational institutions, he has given much time and thought to higher education within the church, and is practically the founder of the Catholic University at Washington. He was one of the arbitrators named by President Roosevelt to settle the anthracite strike in 1902. Because of ill-health his resignation was tendered to the papal see on Sept. 10, 1908.

Spandau (span'dou), a Prussian town and strong fortress, is on the Spree, eight miles northwest of Berlin. As it defends the capital on that side, it is very strongly fortified, and in its citadel is kept the reserve fund of $30,000,000, leserved by the government ready for war. There are an arsenal, a cannon-foundry, gunpowder-factories and a garrison of 4,000 men. One of the oldest towns in Brandenburg, it surrendered to the Swedes in 1634, to the French in 1806 and to the Prussians in 1813. Population 84,919.

Span'ish Africa consists of Adrar and Rio de Oro on the Atlantic coast of the Sahara between Capes Blanco and Juby; Cape San Juan and Rio Muni between French Congo and Kamerun; Annobon, Corisco, Elobey and Fernando Po Islands in the Gulf of Guinea; and Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, with Alhucemas, Chaferinas and Pefion de la Gomera. (The Canary Islands, though geographically belonging to Africa,