Seven hundred years after the birth of Christ, the Arab leader Tarik-Ibn-Zeyad conquered the Rock and named it Jebel-Tarik (Tarik’s mountain). An important military and naval base, it changed hands many times during the following eight centuries of Arab occupation in Spain. In the early part of the fourteenth century Spanish forces occupied Gibraltar for twenty-four years; but in 1333 it reverted to Moorish control after a bloody eighteen week siege. The Rock did not finally become Spanish until 1462 when the Duke of Medina Sidonia recaptured it. The eighteenth century saw another change of ownership. In July 1704, as he lay off Tetuan with a large combined fleet of British and Dutch warships, Admiral Sir George Rooke saw an opportunity to capture the Rock. The city fathers initially refused Rooke’s call to surrender but 15,000 rounds of shot and shell and landings by British marines and sailors persuaded them otherwise.

Since that day, the Rock has played a part in some of the most famous episodes of British history. During the American War of Independence, the combined forces of France and Spain besieged Gibraltar for four and a half years. The body of Nelson, preserved in a barrel of rum, was brought to Gibraltar after his magnificent victory at Trafalgar and in the Second World War the Rock was a key factor in British victories in the Mediterranean.

It is easy to think of Gibraltar as an island although it is not. At times during the evolution of the world, between Ice Ages, it was an island thanks to rising sea levels. The last time this happened was possibly 120 thousand years ago and about the same time prehistoric man arrived on the scene. Since then Gibraltar has become a peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus - the very piece of land traversed by the airport runway.

The caves of Gibraltar continue to reveal exciting findings that prove prehistoric man lived here possibly as long as 120 thousand years ago, pre-dating the discovery of ′Neanderthal′ man in Germany′s Neander Valley. The Rocks many caves made it an attractive accommodation for prehistoric people. Later, it would receive visits by ancient mariners - possibly the Mycaeneans (16th - Century BC) and certainly the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans who followed.

The Rock did not become a settlement until much later. In 711 AD a Moslem general, Tarik ibn Ziyad, landed his forces at the southern end of the Rock to begin the initial Muslim conquest of Spain. From then on the Rock became known as the Mountain of Tarik - ′Jebel Tarik′ - from which derives the name ′Gibraltar′.

For four hundred years, from the 11th century to the 15th century, Gibraltar was made a fortress by the Moors and their architecture prevailed. After the first siege, in 1309, the Spanish retook the Rock but ten sieges were to follow. Each time the Spanish or Moorish buildings were destroyed. In 1704 1,800 English and Dutch marines were landed and captured the Rock. It was ceded to Britain by Spain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 in perpetuity.