Gibraltar: The History of a Fortress

by Ernle Bradford

Since ships first set sail in the Mediterranean, The Rock of Gibraltar has been the gate of Fortress Europe.

In ancient times, it was known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, and a glance at its formidable mass suggests that it may well have been created by the gods.

Sought after by every nation with territorial ambitions in Europe, Asia, and Africa, Gibraltar was possessed by the Arabs, the Spanish, and ultimately the British, who captured it in the early 1700s and held onto it in a siege of more than three years late in the eighteenth century.

The fact that that was one of more than a dozen sieges exemplifies Gibraltar’s quintessential value as a prize and the desperation of governments to fly their flag above its forbidding ramparts.

Bradford uses his matchless skill and knowledge to take the reader through the history of this great and unique fortress.

From its geological creation to its two-thousand-year influence on politics and war, he crafts the compelling tale of how these few square miles played a major part in history.

Ernle Bradford's books have been widely praised.

'A gripping story' - The Economist.

Ernle Bradford (1922-1986) was an historian who wrote books on naval battles and historical figures. Among his subjects were Lord Nelson, the Mary Rose, Christopher Columbus, Julius Caesar and Hannibal. He also documented his own voyages on the Mediterranean Sea.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 14, 1971

About the author

Ernle Dusgate Selby Bradford was a noted British historian specializing in the Mediterranean world and naval topics. Bradford was an enthusiastic sailor himself and spent almost thirty years sailing the Mediterranean, where many of his books are set. He served in the Royal Navy during World War II, finishing as the first Lieutenant of a destroyer. He did occasional broadcast work for the BBC, was a magazine editor, and wrote many books.

Reviews

[Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and informative read. Gibraltar has a long and storied past and has been inhabited by a number of peoples from Phoenicians to the U.K. (It was also attacked at one point by one of history's most notorious pirates, Barbarossa.) Due to its strategic location much of its early history was a history of sea battles and long bloody sieges.

The author paints a really great picture of the physical layout of the island as well as the different types of people throughout the ages. For me, the best part of the book was about the Great Siege of 1779-1783 between Britain who had custody of the island and the Spaniards who wanted it back. This was a tough time for Britain who had just lost the war with the US and was seeing it's influence wane in other parts of the world as well. Vastly outnumbered, the Brits successfully endured the siege which had become somewhat of a symbol for hope back home. (The British lion still stands!) The author did a great job of detailing the challenges and hardships of a siege and provided a lot of great battle scenes.

Solid read, recommended to any history fan.

[Calzean · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short history of Gibraltar as a fortress, trading post, harbour and as a pain to Spain. The main part of the book focused on the siege of 1779. Written in 1971 it is very pro-English, pro-Empire and pro-Royal Navy.

[B. Zucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging and well-researched history of Gibraltar. Of course, it doesn't cover the years after 1971, because all those years happened after this book was published.

[Rada · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book mainly to "get ready" for my trip to Gibraltar a few days ago. It served its purpose, though most of the book reads like a history textbook, and it was very dense. I did enjoy the beginning and ending chapters, and feel like I learned a lot from the last chapter. Not only about Gibraltar, but also about how certain historical facts lose relevance over time and can lead to places getting "caught in time." Like Gibraltar, which is a place that the British wanted (and conquered) hundreds of years ago because of its strategic position that was relevant during that time, but it's not anymore relevant in our times. Britain doesn't have use for it anymore, and would happily give it back (as it has done with many other of its territories), except that the Gibraltarians got used to being under Great Britain and don't want to move under Spain. Very interesting historical twist.

[Chris Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this detailed history of Gibraltar. It’s well researched and there’s some significant detail that it goes into, particularly during the siege.

Given when the book was written, it is brought right up to the ‘present day’ of 1971. Yes things have changed a little since then, but it’s histories are still very much valid of course.

I particularly enjoyed the details of the siege, very well described and it brought the horrors of warfare in that era to life quite vividly.

[Conor Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good from a history perspective, but became very tedious after the 100 page mark. If you are new to this author, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the Great Siege instead. A far superior book, more detailed with regards to the battles and fortifications used to overcome superior odds, and will forever change how you perceive the island of Malta.

[David Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pages on the geology & oceanography in the first chapter were fascinating: the rock is composed of the shells of billions and billions of organisms; Neanderthal man ought to be called Gibraltar woman, the first skull having been found there; the Med constantly evaporating because river inflow too low pulls a surface current in from the Atlantic to replenish the basin, and the higher salinity causes a subsurface current out; caverns full of stalactites and stalagmites, terrifying to early travelers, some early sailor’s report of which contributed to the episode of Odysseus’ visit to the land of the dead?

British ownership of the Rock, a costly controversial affair, paid off handsomely in WWII. This book is very much like dinner with a retired admiral, centuries of campaigns illustrated with walnuts and cutlery over Port. But it is much more and the cultural, sociological & political history and the personality sketches, with quotations from letters & diaries, are as interesting as the military details.

[Erwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was too slow for me. Gibraltar is a fascinating place, I would still love to visit (haven't yet) but I expected a little bit more. If you're a fan of British history, this might be a good read, but if you're more interested in history generally, this one is quite dull.

[Mrs E Jeffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating insight

A good read from start to finish, the history of Gibraltar is well told here. Having visited the place recently the book filled out the many questions raised by the tourist experience. Highly recommended for any travellers.