On This Day
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Spain loses Menorca and Gibraltar to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht

The history of Gibraltar, a small peninsula on the southern Iberian coast near the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, spans over 2,900 years.

The history of Gibraltar, a small peninsula on the southern Iberian coast near the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, spans over 2,900 years. The peninsula was a place of reverence in ancient times, and it later became "one of the most densely fortified and fought-over places in Europe", as one historian has put it. Gibraltar's location has given it an outsized role in the history of Europe. Its fortified town, established in the Middle Ages, has hosted garrisons that have fought in numerous sieges and battles over the centuries. The Rock of Gibraltar is a limestone monolith and fortress in Gibraltar that has held historical and military significance and has become a tourist attraction.

Gibraltar was first inhabited over 50,000 years ago by Neanderthals.

Historical Significance

The history of Gibraltar, a small peninsula on the southern Iberian coast near the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, spans over 2,900 years.

Events Before

  1. Russian Tsar Peter the Great officially marries Polish-Lithuanian pre-marriedeasant Martha Skavronskaya at Saint Isaac's

    Russian Tsar Peter the Great officially marries Polish-Lithuanian pre-marriedeasant Martha Skavronskaya at Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, having earlier married in secret in 1707

  2. February 29 is followed by February 30 in Sweden in a move to abolish the Swedish calendar and return to the Old Style

    February 29 is followed by February 30 in Sweden in a move to abolish the Swedish calendar and return to the Old Style

  3. Slave revolt in New York City: Just after midnight, 9 slaveowners are killed and 6 wounded by a group of about two dozen

    Slave revolt in New York City: Just after midnight, 9 slaveowners are killed and 6 wounded by a group of about two dozen slaves attempting to lead a revolt; at least 21 enslaved Africans were executed, and another half dozen committed suicide [1] [2]

  4. Last sighting of the Dutch ship Zuytdorp as it leaves the Cape of Good Hope carrying a cargo of silver with 200 crew and

    Last sighting of the Dutch ship Zuytdorp as it leaves the Cape of Good Hope carrying a cargo of silver with 200 crew and passengers; the wreck is discovered in 1927 north of Perth, Western Australia [1]

  5. Maximilian Emanuel of Bavaria honored as "sovereign of Netherlands"

    Maximilian Emanuel of Bavaria honored as "sovereign of Netherlands"

Events After

  1. Typewriter patented by Englishman Henry Mill (built years later)

    Typewriter patented by Englishman Henry Mill (built years later)

  2. Battle of Gangut: Russian Navy wins its first major victory during the Great Northern War against Sweden

    In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by Russia successfully contested the supremacy of Sweden in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.

  3. Treaty of Baden is signed by the Holy Roman Empire and France, ending the War of the Spanish Succession; France retains

    Treaty of Baden is signed by the Holy Roman Empire and France, ending the War of the Spanish Succession; France retains Alsace and Landau, and Austria gains the east bank of the Rhine

  4. Nicholas Rowe's play "The Tragedy of Jane Shore" premieres in London

    The Tragedy of Jane Shore is a 1714 historical tragedy by the British writer Nicholas Rowe.

  5. Parliament of Paris accepts Pope Clement XI's "Unigenitus" decree

    Parliament of Paris accepts Pope Clement XI's "Unigenitus" decree

More from the 1710s

Parisian merchant Jean Marius obtains a five-year royal privilege for his invention of a folding umbrella, the first in

Parisian merchant Jean Marius obtains a five-year royal privilege for his invention of a folding umbrella, the first in Europe

Typewriter patented by Englishman Henry Mill (built years later)

Typewriter patented by Englishman Henry Mill (built years later)

Russian Tsar Peter the Great officially marries Polish-Lithuanian pre-marriedeasant Martha Skavronskaya at Saint Isaac's

Russian Tsar Peter the Great officially marries Polish-Lithuanian pre-marriedeasant Martha Skavronskaya at Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, having earlier married in secret in 1707

In the Battle of Helsingborg, 14,000 Danish invaders under Jørgen Rantzau are decisively defeated by an equally sized Sw

In the Battle of Helsingborg, 14,000 Danish invaders under Jørgen Rantzau are decisively defeated by an equally sized Swedish force under Magnus Stenbock

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 27, 1713?
The history of Gibraltar, a small peninsula on the southern Iberian coast near the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, spans over 2,900 years. The peninsula was a place of reverence in ancient times, and it later became "one of the most densely fortified and fought-over places in Europe", as one historian has put it. Gibraltar's location has given it an outsized role in the history of Europe.
Why is Spain loses Menorca and Gibraltar to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht significant?
The history of Gibraltar, a small peninsula on the southern Iberian coast near the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, spans over 2,900 years.

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March 27 in HistoryYear 1713