1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Alcalá

ALCALÁ (Moorish al Kala, the “Fortress” or “Castle”), the name of thirteen Spanish towns, all founded or named by the Moors. Alcalá de Henares (pop. (1900) 11,206) is separately described on account of its historical importance. Alcalá la Real (15,973), a picturesque town with a fine abbey, is situated in mountainous country in the extreme south-west of Jaén. Its distinctive name la Real, “the Royal,” was conferred in memory of its capture by Alphonso XI. of Leon in 1340. In 1810 the French under Count Sebastiani here defeated the Spaniards. Alcalá de los Gazules (8877), on the river Barbate, in the province of Cadiz, has a thriving trade in cork and agricultural produce. Alcalá de Guadaira (8198), on the river Guadaira, near Seville, is popularly called Alcalá de los Panadores, or “Alcalá of the Bakers,” because it supplies Seville with large quantities of bread. Alcalá de Chisbert (6293) is situated on the coast of Castellon de la Plana; Alcalá de Río (3006), on the Guadalquivir, 6 m. N. of Seville; Alcalá del Júcar (2968), on the Júcar, in Albacete; Alcalá de la Selva (1490), on the southern slopes of the Sierra del Gúdar, in Teruel; Alcalá de la Vega (712), on the river Cabriel, in Cuenca; Alcalá de Gurrea (632), on the river Seton, in Huesca; Alcalá del Obispo (432), in the same province; Alcalá de Ebro (388) and Alcalá de Moncayo (367), both in Saragossa.