To be a Basque meant, and still means, to be a historical anomaly. The Basques are the oldest ethnic group of Europe, a breed apart ever since Paleolithic times. In their province in northern Spain, next to the French border, the Basques speak a distinct language, actually, eight dialects of a distinct language. No direct link between the Basque tongue and another language has been identified. Over the centuries, various monarchs had attempted to annex the Basques, and although King Ferdinand finally conquered them in 1512, and Basques became fervent Catholics, the fiercely independent Basque
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