Minorca
 Minorca (Menorca both in Catalan and Spanish and increasingly in English usage; from Latin insula minor, later Minorica "minor island") is one of the Balearic Islands (Illes Balears Catalan official name, Islas Baleares in Spanish), located in the Mediterranean Sea, and belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than nearby island of Majorca. The island has a population of approximately 82,000. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The local dialect of Catalan is called Menorqu?: Gramatical differences with standard Catalan are minimal, and differences exist mostly only in pronunciation. A remarkable difference is the use of the article "the", where Menorqu? uses "es" for masculine and "sa" for feminine instead of Catalan "el" and "la", a form which was historically used in the north of the province of Girona, in Catalonia, from where the islands were repopulated after being taken from the Moors. It also has some English loan words dating back to the British occupation such as "grevi" and "xumaquer", taken from "gravy" and "shoemaker", respectively. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Minorca was annexed to the Caliphate of C?rdoba in 903. The island was conquered by Alfonso III of Aragon on January 17, 1287, Minorca's national day, and until 1344 was part of the Kingdom of Majorca, before being annexed to Aragon and thus becoming later part of Spain. During the 16th century, Turkish naval attacks destroyed Mahon and the then capital Ciutadella. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Captured by the British navy in 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession, it became for some 70 years a British dependency (and Mahon harbour a Mediterranean naval base) in the 18th century. The capital was moved to Mahon. The British influence can be seen in local architecture with elements such as sash windows. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ During the Seven Years' War, the failure of a British naval squadron to relieve a French siege of Minorca on May 20, 1756 led to the later court-martialling and execution of Admiral John Byng. This naval engagement, the Battle of Minorca, represented the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in the European theatre. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The British garrison at Mahon continued its defense, but was forced to capitulate under honourable terms on June 29, and the garrison was allowed passage to return to England. It was later restored to British control at the end of the war by the Treaty of Paris (1763), Britain and her allies having for the large part prevailed. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ During the American Revolutionary War, Spanish and French forces defeated British forces and captured the island on February 5, 1782, but it was recovered by the British in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was finally and permanently ceded to Spain by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802; one story is that Nelson preferred to hold a base at Malta so as to be closer to Emma Hamilton in Naples. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In the Spanish Civil War, Minorca supported the Republicans, while Majorca supported the Nationalists. It did not see combat, and when the Nationalists won in 1939, the British navy assisted a peaceful transfer of power in Minorca and the evacuation of some political refugees. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ In July 2005, the island's application to become the twenty-fifth member of the International Island Games Association was approved. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Famous megalithic stone monuments: navetes, taulas, and talaiots. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ See also: sobrassada (typical sausage with paprika), gin (strong liquor, a vestige of the British period), Ma? cheese (original cheese of the island). ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The major towns are Ciutadella and Ma?. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The island is administratively divided into these municipalities: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Balearic Islands: The Balearic Islands (Illes Balears Catalan official name, Islas Baleares in Spanish) are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the coast of Spain. They form one of the Autonomous Communities of Spain, the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands. The Community's capital city is... Catalan: Catalan can refer to:... Spanish: Spanish can mean:... Minorca related Images and Photos (experimental)
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~ Related Subjects ~Mediterranean Sea (2) - Spain (2) - Ciutadella (2) - Treaty of Amiens (1) - French Revolutionary Wars (1) - 1798 (1) - 1802 (1) - Nelson (1) - Malta (1) - June 29 (1) - Battle of Minorca (1) - John Byng (1) - Treaty of Paris (1763) (1) - 1782 (1) - February 5 (1) -~ Community ~
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