LBOH
176
LEON
Alfonso XI (1390). In the Cortes of 1406 and 1407 it
was declared that the representatives of Leon had the
second place in the order of voting (segundo asienio)
after those of Burgos. In 1493, Ferdinand the Catho-
lic, by his presence added solemnity to the translation
of the relics of St. Marcellus.
Geography. — ^The Province of Leon as it actually exists, situated in the northern part of the ancient kingdom of the same name, is hounded on the north by the Asturias; on the east by the Provinces of Santander and Valladolid; on the south by that of Zamora; on the west by Galicia (Provinces of Orcnse and Lugo). Its natural boundaries are: the Canta- brian Mountains (which separate it from the Province oi Oviedo on the north) from the peak of Guifia (G570 feet) to the Pena Vieja (8750 feet); its boundaries are continued on the east by the range which separates the basins of theCea and the Carrion and are prolonged parallel to the course of both those rivers as far as Saliagiin, tuniing thence to the south-east and fol- lowing the course of the Cea, which bounds the Province of Valladolid. The southern boundaries are formed mostly by the range of the Pena Ncgra, while the western, beginning from Pena Trevinca, skirts Lake Bana, cros.ses the River Sil and follows northward the heights which mark on one side the basin of that river, towards the port of Piedrafita. Most of the province is >\'ithin the great Castilian plateau, at an elevation of more than 1000 feet above the sea level, rLsing towards the Cantabrian Moun- tains on the north. From north to west it is drained by the Sil and its tributaries, which receive the waters flowing from the southern slope of the Cantabrian Moun- tains, from the Pena Ilubia (6313 feet) onwards; from north to south by the Orbigo and the Berncsga, both affluents of the fisla (which, in turn, is an alHuent of the Duero), and by the Cea, which forms the boun- daries of the province on the east and south-east. Verv mountainous in the north and north-west, it becomes more level towards the south-cast, where it marches with the celebrated Gothic Plains" (Camjn GoUiici or Tierradc Camjwft). From north to soutli- west it is traversed by the Mountains of Leon, which, joining the Cantabrian Chain, enclose the district of fel Vierzo, leaving no other opening but that through which the Sil, a tributarv of the Slinho, parses.
The Province of Leon a'I)onnds in minend resources. The carboniferous formation, which covers a wide area in the east nms west wan 1 by the Valley of Ponjos, penetrates into El Vierzo, and, extending beyond Iguena, San Pedro de Mallo, and Villamartin, reaches as far as Fal)cro. The hollows on both banks of the I^rnesga contain deposits of coal, with vast masses of carboniferous limestone, the exploitation of which undoubtedly promisi»s great things for the future of Leonesc industrv. There arc also iron, copper, and co!)alt mines (e. g. the "Profunda", in the municipal district of Canncnes), and a great abun- dance of mineral waters — bicarljonate, sulphurous, etc. The climate varies considerably — cold in the moimtAins of the north, warm in the lowlands of the south-cast. El Vierzo, sheltered by the mountains from the north winds, is one of the mildest and mast humid regions; there the vine, the olive, and fruits of many kinds arc cultivated. In the south great quantities of wheat and other cereals are grown, as well as pulse, beans, esculent herbs, and excellent silky flax. The forests are rich in l)eech, ilex, and oak. The livestock amounts to more than a million head of .'«heep. cattle, and swine. Tise mountainous character of the country, rendering communication difficult, is somewhat unfavourable to industry, which is confinerl to that of ironworks, mills,, and the manu- facture of flour. Leather and coarse cloth are pro- duce<l: linseed oil is extrarterl. and cliocol:Ue and delicious eheesi's are manufaetnnMl,
Statistics.— Lying between 12° 4' 30" and 42** 17'
north latitude, and between 1^ 6^ and 3° 2(f longitiide
east of Madrid (2® 35' 51' and 21' 5r west of Green-
wich), this provmcc lias an area of 15,377 square kilo-
meters (5934 square miles). The land under culti-
vation amounts to 937,399 hectares (2,316,313 acres),
of which 117,281 hectares (289^801 acres) are irrir
gated. The population, according to the ceiURis of
1900, was 401,172, whereas the census of 1887 save a
population of 388,830 — an increase of 12^342 inhab-
itants in thirteen years, and a proportion of 26.7
inhabitants to the sauare kilometre (about 10.31 to
the square mile). The Report of the Institute Geo-
graphico y Estadistico on the movement of population
for 1901 gives for the Province of Leon 14,784 birUia,
10,131 deaths, and 2987 marriages, showing that the
increase of population continues.
Civil Division. — ^The province is divided into ten judicial districts and 234 subdivisions (ayurUamien- tos). The judicial districts are: Astorga (an episcopal see), La Baneza, Murias de Parcdes, Ponierrada, Riano, Saliagiin, Valencia de D. Juan, La Vecilla, Villafranca de Bierzo, and Leon. The capital has a population of 17,022 inhabitants.
Ecclesiastical Division. — The Diocese of Leon belongs to the ecclesiastical Province of Buri^os, though that of Astorga, which is in the same avil province, belongs to the ecclesiastical Provinoe of Valladolid. It (Leon) consists of 345 parishes, groui)cd in 37 archipresbyteries, and comprises pari of the territory of the civil Provinces of Vallaoolid and Oviedo. The lists of its bishops was interrupted by the Arab conquest. It possesses two ecclesiastical seminaries: that of S. Froilan and that of S. Mateo de Valderas. The college of S. Isidoro at Leon, for poor scholars, is incorporated with the seminary ol 8. Froilan. There are two chapters in the diocese: that of the cathedral, and the collegiate chapter of San Isidoro, with an abbot and sixteen canons. The
y resent incuml)ent of the see, the Ri^t Reverend uan Manuel Sanz y Saravfa, b. at Puebla de los In- fantes, 30 March, 1848, was preconiscd 27 March, 1905.
Religious Communities in the Diocese, — ^At the cap- ital there is a convent of Capucliins and a house of Augustinians who have charge of the pupils of the Instituto Provincial. There are also the Benedictine nuns of Sta. Maria de Carvajal, Franciscan Conce|^ tionists, .Vugustinian nuns, and Disc^lced nuns of Sta. Cruz, l:)esides other uncloistercil communities of women, viz., the Sisters of Charity in the Hospital Provincial and the Chapter Hospital and in the Asilo Municipal, an a.sylum of the Little Sisters of the Poor, a college of Carmelites of Charity, Servants of Jesus for the aid of the sick, and a convent of Carmelite Sisters. At Sahagiin three are Benedictines of Sta. Cruz, and a hospital and college of Sisters of Charity; at Mayorga (Province of Valladolid), a convent of Franciscan Fathers occupied in teaching, Dominican nuns, and a hospital of Sisters of Charity; at Castro- verde de Campos (Province of Zamora), Franciscan Fathers; at S. Pedro de Duenas and in the monastery of La Vega, Bene<lictine nuns; at Villalpando, ViUa- lobos, and Villafrechos there are Poor Clares; at Grajal de Campos. Discalced Carmelites; at Cuenca de Campos. Franciscan nunis; at Gradefes, Bemardine nuns; at Villalnn, a hospital of Sisters of Charity; at Boadilla de Rioscco. a college of Tertiarics of the Sacrini Heart of Jesus anil Mar^-; at Saldaiia, a college of Servants of Mary.
Education. — Besides the colleges of religious orders already mentioned, t' ere are the Instituto Provincial at Leon and a local institute at Ponferrada. Leon is dependent upon the university district of 0\'iedo.
The Citif of Lrori, capital of the civil province and also of the Dicx*ese of Leon, is situated on the River Bernesga. at its junction with the Torio. It lias a station on the Palencia, Conina, and Oviedo railroad
