[104], The economy of Barcelona during this period was increasingly directed towards trade. The growth of the textile industry was to have a twofold effect: It led to the development of a modern industrial sector and to the emergence of Catalonia as Spain’s wealthiest region. Using this measurement and the latitudes of the two cities they could calculate the distance between the North Pole and the Equator in classical French units of length and hence produce the first prototype metre which was defined as being one ten millionth of that distance. [66][67] The Arabs saw in the civil war an opportunity to invade the Iberian peninsula,[68] and won the victory at the Battle of Guadalete, owing to the treachery of a part of the Visigothic army,[69] which had been persuaded to change sides by the partisans of Achila. The Catalan nobility sided with the Habsburgs against the Bourbon Philip V, which led to the abolition of Catalan autonomy[108][109] with the last of the Nueva Planta decrees in 1716,[110] and to the diminution of the political influence of the city of Barcelona in Spain. FC Barcelona are one of the most popular teams in world football. The other settlement was called Laye and was founded on Montjüic. Significant vestiges of Roman Barcino can be seen in the underground displays of the Museum of the History of Barcelona (MUHBA), which also maintains other heritage sites from Roman times in Barcelona. Apparently of African origin, Cucuphas had evangelised in several areas of the Tarraconense, including Barcino, Egara (modern Terrassa) and Iluro (modern Mataró), before being killed at Castrum Octavium (modern Sant Cugat del Vallès, just over the Collserola ridge from Barcino/Barcelona). The best book of historical fiction set in Barcelona … After 1705, when the Catalans permitted the archduke Charles III of Austria to establish his court in Barcelona, honouring his claim to the Spanish throne during the War of the Spanish Succession, Philip V of Spain besieged Barcelona. [64] In 680, Wamba was dethroned as a result of a conspiracy headed by Erwig, one of the nobles, with the assistance of the Metropolitan of Toledo. Wamba was a political realist, however, and his understanding of the vital Jewish place in the economic structure of the provinces allowed him to reach a reconciliation with them. It was a shortened version of the name which had been official until then, Laporta, 58, takes over at a critical moment in the club's history. The forum's most impressive building was the temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus, probably constructed at the start of the 1st century. [118] In 1888, Barcelona hosted the Exposición Universal de Barcelona,[119] which led to a great extension of its urbanised area from Parc de la Ciutadella to Barceloneta. which was declared complete by Caesar Augustus in 19 BC. [20] The north-east of the peninsula was the first region to fall under Roman control, and served as a base Many enterprises and public services were "collectivised" by the CNT and UGT unions. Sports 7 Spanish Soccer Blogs Every Football Fanatic Should Read. Barcelona, city, seaport, and capital of Barcelona province and of Catalonia autonomous community, northeastern Spain, located 90 miles (150 km) south of the French border. The Romans invaded the area in 218 BC and established themselves on Montjüic, where they built a fortress. [23] As a colonia, it was established to distribute land among retired soldiers. [89] At the same time, several of the counties of the Spanish Marches came to be ruled by the same individual. According to one well known study (Saffron Brand Consultants, 2008), Barcelona is one of the cities with the greatest awareness, image and reputation on a worldwide scale, and the third ranked European city brand together with Berlin and Amsterdam, behind only Paris and London and in front of many European capitals such as Athens, Madrid or Rome. [113], During the 18th century, a fortress was built at Montjuïc overlooking the harbour.