Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/631

Rh A L M A L M 593 procure water, and here Almeida was killed (March 1, 1510) in an unprovoked attack upon the Caffre natives, during which he showed great personal courage. His body was recovered on the following day, frightfully mutilated, and received a hasty burial. ALMEBIA, a modem province of Spain, comprehending the eastern portion of the ancient kingdom of Granada. It is bounded on the N. by Jaen and Murcia, on the E. and S. by Murcia and the Mediterranean, and on the W. by Granada; with an area of about 3300 square miles. The province is traversed by mountain ridges, some of them of considerable elevation, with corresponding valleys and plains of great fertility. The principal sierras are those of Maria, Ahnahilla, Cabrera, Almagrera, Gata, and Gador, and in the &quot;W. some offshoots of the Sierra Nevada. The most considerable rivers are the Almanzora, running from west to east, with a course of about 50 miles ; the Almeria, flowing from north-west to south-east ; and the Adra from north to south, watering the fertile district between the Sierra de Gador and the Alpuj arras. On the S. coast is the Gulf of Almeria, a spacious bay, 25 miles wide at the entrance, and about 10 miles in depth. The climate of the province is mild, except in the interior, where the winter is cold. On the coast rain seldom falls, and south-west winds prevail. The inhabitants are prin cipally engaged in mining and agriculture. Many of the pro prietors farm their own land, the number of landed pro perties being 44,858, while the tenants are only 7365. Of the area of the province, 376,698 acres are arable and pasture land; 13,538 acres vineyards; 5360 acres olive plantations; 30,797 acres cultivated mountain and wood lands ; and 1,686,738 acres uncultivated. There are 438,357 head of live stock. All kinds of grain are raised in abundance. The common fruits are plentiful, as well as oranges, lemons, and vines. Much excellent silk is produced in the western districts ; cotton is raised to some extent along the coast, and the sugar-cane is also cultivated. Cattle are extensively bred ; those of the valley of the Almeria are especially remarkable for their size and beauty. The province is one of the richest in minerals of all Spain, the mountains yielding silver, mercury, lead, antimony, copper, and iron. The silver mines of the Sierra de Almagrera, opened in 1839, produced in 1843 nearly 1,700,000 ounces; while the lead mines of the Sierra de Gador are computed to have yielded, from 1795 to 1841 inclusive, 11,000,000 quintals of lead, and the present annual output is from 30,000 to 40,000 tons of ore. In the Sierra de Gata, jaspers and agates are found ; in the Sierra Nevada, to the west, are the celebrated quarries of Macael marble; and the Sierra Cabrera yields antimony, malachite, gypsum, magnetic iron, &c. The manufactures of the province consist chiefly of esparto cordage, white-lead, shot, salt petre, soap, leather, and earthenware. The principal exports are lead, esparto, barilla, and soap ; while the imports include coal and machinery from England, woollen and cotton stuffs from Catalonia, silk from Valencia and Malaga, and linen from Marseilles and Gibraltar. From the want of adequate facilities for communication, the development of the agricultural and mining resources of Almeria has not been so rapid as might have been expected. The disturbances attending the revolution of 1868 have also had a prejudicial effect. Education is in a backward state, the proportion of the population at school being only fifteen in the thousand. Crime, although great, is not excessive, offences against the person forming the greater number of the cases tried. The people generally are simple, sober, and religious. Population in 1870, estimated at 361,553. ALMERIA, the capital of the above province, lies on the Gulf of Almeria, on the Mediterranean, 72 miles E.S.E. of Granada. From the strength of the port it was deemed by the Moorish kings of Granada one of the most valuable of their fortresses and their best commercial harbour. Sailing hence, their cruisers overawed the Catalans and Italians, and their merchant ships conveyed the produce of the country to Africa, Egypt, and Syria. In the time of the Moors Almeria was the seat of hordes of pirates. The walls of the town, and the Moorish fortress, or Alcazaba, overlooking it, as well as the architecture of many of the houses, still attest its Moorish origin. It is pretty well built, and has several handsome squares, although the streets are generally narrow. Almeria is the seat of a bishop, and has a cathedral and theological seminaries. Off the port there is good anchorage in 12 and 1 4 fathoms water ; and in addition to its landward defences the place is protected towards the sea by the forts of Trinidad and Tiro. In 1866, 46 vessels, of 21,603 tons, with cargoes, entered and cleared the port; and the annual value of the exports is about 50,000. The manufactures are trifling, but there is a good export trade in wine, soda, esparto, silk, and lead; while the imports consist chiefly of coal and manufactured goods. Here there are also some mineral springs. Population (1857), 27,036. ALMOHADES (Almoahedim, Unitarian), a Mahometan dynasty that flourished in Africa and in Spain during th 12th and 13th centuries. Mohammed-Ibn-Abdallah, the&amp;gt; founder of the Almoahedun sect, was the son of a lamp lighter in the great mosque at Sous-el- Aksa. He studied at Cordova, and afterwards visited Cairo and Baghdad, where he became the disciple of the famous philosopher Algazali. In order to establish his power with his country men, he connected himself with Abd-el-Mumen, a young Mussulman of great abilities, whom he sent forth as his apostle to propagate the new doctrine (1116-17) ; while in his own person he affected an unusual degree of piety and mortification, appearing in tattered garments, and interdicting the use of wine and music and every gratifica tion of the senses. His fame spread rapidly among the mountain tribes of Mahgreb, and the ignorant multitude adopted his opinions with eager zeal. His followers saluted him as the Al-Mehedi on the 28th November 1121. Entering the city of Marocco, this new prophet foretold the downfall of the existing dynasty, and mocked the authority of the reigning prince Ali-Ibn-Yussef. Ali, lulled in security, despised his predictions as the mere ravings of a fanatic ; and it was not without some difficulty that he was at length prevailed on to banish him from the city. Mohammed retired to the mountains, and fortified the town of Tinmal, which he defended against every assault of his enemies (1123). His retreat became the rendezvous of a numerous sect, who assumed the title of Almoahedi, or Almohades, and asserted that they alone of all the Mussulmans maintained the religion of Islam in its original purity. Many Arab and Berber tribes acknoAvledged him as their political chief, and 20,000 soldiers rallied around his standard. Ali only perceived the error he had com mitted when it was too late : his armies, at each encounter, were panic-struck, and fled. Yet notwithstanding the great success of the Almohades, the vast empire of the Almoravides was not at once subdued: and Mohammed, after an ineffectual attempt to reduce the city of Marocco, died in the year 1130, having failed to accomplish the object of his ambition, the possession of a throne. He was succeeded by Abd-el-Mumen, who assumed the title of JEmir-el-Mumaiin, or Commander of the Faithful. During the thirty years that he reigned, and under his descendants, Yussef and Yakub, called Almanzor-Billah, the dynasty of the Almohades was exceedingly illustrious, and the arts flourished greatly. They rendered themselves masters of I. - 75