Vitoria -Gasteiz

City (pop., 2001: 216,852), capital of Basque Country autonomous community, northeastern Spain.

The official name derives from the combined Spanish (Vitoria) and Basque (Gasteiz) names for the city. Founded as Victoriacum by the Visigothic king Leovigild in 581, it was granted a charter in the 12th century. In 1200 Alfonso VIII captured it and incorporated it into his kingdom. In 1813 it was the scene of a battle in which allied forces under English Gen. Arthur Wellesley (later duke of Wellington) defeated the French, driving them from Spain and leading to the end of the Peninsular War. Now a manufacturing centre, it retains several medieval buildings.

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