Guadalajara

Guadalajara (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡwaðalaˈxaɾa]) is a city and municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain, and in the natural region of La Alcarria. It is the capital of the province of Guadalajara. It is located roughly 60 km northeast of Madrid on the Henares River, and has a population of 75,493 (2006).

Pre-Arab settlements
It is known that in the area therewas a Roman town called Arriaca, possibly founded by a pre-Roman culture. But there is no archeological proof of it, only reference to it in certain texts such as the Ruta Antonina, where it was described as being in the hands of the Carpetani[1] when encountered by the Romans. The city, as Caracca,[2] was incorporated into the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis. The city was on the high roadfrom Emerita (modern Mérida) to Caesaraugusta (modern Zaragoza), 22 M. P. northeast of Complutum (modern Alcalá de Henares).
Arabic foundation
The town of Guadalajara was founded by the Moors in the 8th century. They named it Wadi-al-Hajara (وادي الحجارة), meaning "Valley of Stones"; in theory the literal translation of the Iberian name (Arriaca), meaning "Stony River".
The history of the townduring the Muslim period was significant. They built monuments including the Moorish Bridge over the River Henares, the ruins of the old Alcazar (Arabic for "castle"), and the former Cathedral of St. Mary, which was by then a mosque. Christian conquest and Middle Ages
In 1085, Guadalajara was taken by the Christian forces of Alfonso VI (king of Leon and Castile). The chronicles say that theChristian army was led by Alvar Fanez de Minaya, one of the lieutenants (and according to the legend, nephew) of El Cid. From 1085 until the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, the city suffered wars against the Almoravid and the Almohad Empires. In spite of the wars, the new Christian population could definitely settle down in the area thanks to the repopulation with people from the North(Castilians from the mountains and Merindades, Basques and Navarreses mainly) who received their first fuero in 1133 from Alfonso VII. In 1219, the king Fernando III gave a new fuero to the city (the one know as Fuero Largo or Big Fuero). During the reign of Alfonso X of Castile, the protection of the king allowed the city to develop its economy by protecting merchants and allowing markets.Renaissance
During the 14th century, the Mendoza family was prominent in Guadalajara. This family included Íñigo López de Mendoza, also known as Marqués de Santillana (1398–1458), and Pedro González de Mendoza (1428–1495), Great Cardinal of Spain and adviser of the Catholic Monarchs. The Mendoza family held the title of Dukes and Duchesses of El Infantado from 1475. In 1460, KingHenry IV gave Guadalajara the title of 'City' and other privileges like the Cortes.
During the War of the Spanish Succession, Guadalajara was sacked. King Philip V ordered the establishment of the Real Fábrica de Paños (Royal Factory of Clothes) which was situated in the Alcazar till the early 19th Century.
In this period, the Mendoza Family ordered the building of El Palacio del Infantado astheir main residence. It was completed in the early 1480s and it is considered by many the oldest surviving building built in a pure Renissance style outside Italy.

Frontal facade of the 'Palacio del Infantado' (XV century).
Contemporary times
The 19th century started with two major setbacks: the damages caused by the Peninsular War (1808–1814) and the closing of the Real Fábrica de Paños in1822. In 1808, Guadalajara was taken by the French Army led by General Hugo and the city was destroyed.
In 1840 Guadalajara was established as capital of the province with the same name by the Plan de Burgos. The Academy of Military Engineers was brought to the city. The development during the second half of the 19th Century till the first quarter of the 20th century was slow and centred on the...