Gibraltar

Perhaps the most famous reason for which Gibraltar is known is the ancient Rock of Gibraltar that dates back to the Jurassic era. It was also known to the Antiquity world as one of the Pillars of Hercules, a site that was marked as the southern tip of the known world in medieval cartography (referring to the Hereford mappa mundi). The Arab name (that is still used in the Arabic world) Jabal Tariq was kept after the 8th century Umayyad general Tariq ibn Ziyad. Since then it had been part of several Islamic empires that spread across the Iberian peninsula right from the beginning of the Islamic conquests to the 15th century. The name Gibraltar is a corrupt English translation of Jabal Tarik or Jebel el Tarik. 

In 1462, the territory was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile (Reino de Castilla) from the Berber kingdom of the Marinid Sultanate and after three centuries (in 1704), it was occupied by its current possessors, the British. Talking about its name through history, one can find a certain Calbe Mons marked on a 1525 dated map by Joannes Regiomantanus (1436-1476). The name 'Gibraltar' or 'Gibralter' started appearing mostly since the beginning of the 17th century on various European maps. The reason for the establishment of an English presence miles away from their homeland was to counter the ongoing piracy on the Barbary coast (referring to the coast of Morocco; traditionally known as homeland to the Amazigh/Mazices/Mazax people) that hindered in trading among various European powers. Also, the Spanish regime had neglected to protect pirate attacks and hence Gibraltar, the largest port between mainland Iberia and Africa, was under the radar. 

During the war of the Spanish Succession in the 18th century, Spain and Great Britain were rivals to each other. Gibraltar is literally the opening of mainland Europe to the Mediterranean from the western side of the continent and also inlet to the north African coast. Countering the African powers at Gibraltar would also be crucial as they would then led into the conquest of Africa, which had already started by then. And it was the British fleet that pioneered the contest of supremacy over the region and with a joint effort of the Dutch, gained control of Gibraltar. In 1706, Gibraltar was declared as a free port to all traders and in 1713, under the Treaty of Utrecht, Spain formally acceded Gibraltar to the United Kingdom. 

But like any other situations, Spain did try to take over the port in the succeeding years. Battles were fought in 1726, 1779-1783, etc. by Spanish forces to take over the territory, but in vain. During the Great War, since Gibraltar being a Crown Colony, hence an Allied power, massive tunnels were dug out under the Rock of Gibraltar that led in the North African invasion by the French forces. 

Twice a referendum were held out in the colony (1968 and 2002) to let the Gibraltarians vouched to stay in the UK rather than joining mainland Spain. 

Below here is a recreated map of Gibraltar dated 1851, originally sketched by J&F Tallis.