The history of Gibraltar.

The Spanish arrived in 1502, only to be kicked out by the British in 1704 when the Treaty of Utrecht granted Gibraltar to the British crown "forever". Above, The raising of the siege of Gibraltar by Sir John Leake in 1704
711 - Moorish commander commander Tariq Ibn-Ziyad captures the “Rock”.
1462 - Spain takes back the territory as it drives out the Moors.
1501 - Queen Isabelle annexes Gibraltar to Spain, granting it its present-day coat of arms a year later.
1704 - Gibraltar is captured by English troops with Dutch help during the War of Spanish Succession.
1713 - The Treaty of Utrecht formally cedes Gibraltar to Britain from Spain.
1830 - Gibraltar becomes a British crown colony.
1939 - Civilians evacuated as World War II begins.
1954 - Spain cuts air links to protest at a visit to Gibraltar by Queen Elizabeth II.
1963 - Spain begins campaign at the United Nations to win Gibraltar's handover back to Spanish control.
1967 - A referendum on the Rock sees residents overwhelmingly vote to remain under British rule.
1969 - Britain draws up a constitution for Gibraltar, according internal self-government. The move prompts Franco-led Spain to withdraw its workforce and close the border.
1973 - Gibraltar joins the European Economic Community (now European Union) along with Britain.
1981 - Gibraltarians are granted full British citizenship. Prince Charles and Princess Diana visit on their honeymoon, a move that caused King Juan Carlos of Spain to reject invitation to their wedding.
1984 - Under the Brussels Process, both London and Madrid agree to seek an accord on links relating to Gibraltar.
1985 - Spain formally re-opens the border.
2002 - Referendum shows 99 percent of residents oppose British and Spanish plan to seek joint-sovereignty.
2004 - The Rock celebrates third centenary of British rule.
2006 - Ministerial delegations from Britain, Gibraltar and Spain sign the Cordoba Agreement on joint use of the airport, pension compensation for former Spanish workers on the Rock and upgraded telecoms links after Madrid targets cooperation while retaining sovereignty claim.
July 2009 - A Spanish cabinet minister visited Gibraltar for the first time in more than 300 years. Madrid insisted the trip by then Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos did not signify any change to its claim to the British territory.
November 2009 – British Ambassador to Spain, Giles Paxman called to answer over incident in which Royal Navy accused of using a Spanish flag for target practice during a military exercise in international waters. He explained that the target had in fact been a Nato flag bearing the same colours as the Spanish flag but apologised for the incident.

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