Aragon

Aragon

 Spanish Aragón

Autonomous community (pop., 2001: 1,204,215), northeastern Spain. Roughly coextensive with the historical kingdom of Aragon, it occupies an area of 18,425 sq mi (47,720 sq km). Its capital is Zaragoza (Saragossa). Mountains, including the Pyrenees, dominate the relief north and south of the Ebro River, which bisects Aragon. Established in 1035 by Ramiro I, the historical kingdom grew as land was retaken from the Moors: Zaragoza, the capital of the Almoravid kingdom, fell to Alfonso I of Aragon in 1118, and the reconquest of present-day Aragon was completed by the late 12th century. In the 13th–15th centuries it came to rule Sicily, Sardinia, Naples, and Navarra. In the 15th century Ferdinand married Isabella of Castile, uniting the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile and forming the nucleus of modern Spain. The old kingdom of Aragon survived as an administrative unit until 1833, when it was divided into provinces. Agriculture, mining, and industry, the latter concentrated at Zaragoza, are economically important.

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Aragon¹

Louis (lwi). 1897--1982, French poet, essayist, and novelist; an early surrealist, later a committed Communist. His works include the verse collections Le Crève-Coeur (1941) and Les Yeux d'Elsa (1942) and the series of novels Le Monde réel (1933--51)

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Aragon²

an autonomous region of NE Spain: independent kingdom from the 11th century until 1479, when it was united with Castile to form modern Spain. Pop.: 1 059 600 (2003 est.). Area: 47 609 sq. km (18 382 sq. miles)