Thanks to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, the island of Mallorca has historically been a key point through which a multitude of peoples and cultures have passed, from Phoenicians and Greeks to the Islamic world.
Mallorca in Prehistory
The historians who define the origin of Mallorca agree that the date on which man set foot on the island for the first time may be close to 7,000 BC, during the Talayotic era, a period of which important remains are still preserved in archaeological sites such as that of Capcorb Vell.
"Thanks to the long period of Romanization that took place on the island, there are still some buildings considered authentic gems of architecture, such as the ancient Roman city of Pollentia (now Alcudia), where many remains of Mallorca's past are still preserved."
Land of Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans
For several years Mallorca was the land of three of the most important peoples in history, Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans. From the passage of the former, several old ships are still preserved that were rescued from the depths of the Mallorcan coast.
During this period the Balearic Islands had their first stable settlement and began an exponential growth both politically and economically.
It would not be until 123 BC. when the city would begin to become a truly important place on the continent. Quinto Cecilio Metelo, who would later receive the nickname of Balearicus, conquered the islands and decided to grant them great economic importance to establish a kind of commercial war with the Phoenician people.
The conquest of the islands was not easy for the Roman soldiers, who would have to face their inhabitants, skilled in the art of war, who resisted for two long years. Once the island and the entire Balearic archipelago had been conquered, the slingers of Mallorca became part of the support troops of the Roman Empire, even supporting Emperor Julius Caesar in the conquest of the territories of Gaul.
Thanks to the long period of Romanization that took place on the island, there are still some buildings considered authentic gems of architecture, such as the ancient Roman city of Pollentia (now Alcudia), where many remains of Mallorca's past are still preserved.
Byzantine Conquest and Islamic Empire
The conquest of Mallorca by the Byzantine people was one of the darkest periods in the entire history of Mallorca, bringing with it a time when the lack of political and social stability would impede the economic growth of the area.
Finally, in 902, the islands were annexed to the Caliphate of Córdoba after several Muslim attacks on the territory and after a period of war of attrition that would last for more than two centuries.
At this point, Majorca was in the power of the Umayyad dynasty and began to experience a time of great political and administrative stability. One of the main advances of this period would be the flowering of a strong attachment to the arts that would turn the capital, Madina Mayurqa, now Palma, into an important cultural centre for the entire Empire.
Crown of Aragon
In 1229 the history of Mallorca took a radical turn. King Jaume I conquered the island.
He introduced Christianity, a different economic model, and an unknown language, Catalan. It was a time of calm and peace. King Jaume II succeeded his father. The confrontations with the Crown of Aragon then began. Palma Cathedral, Bellver Castle, the Almudaina palace, Alcúdia fortification and Capdepera fortification are from that time.
In 1343 Pedro IV the Ceremonious invaded Mallorca. The Majorcans turned their backs on Jaume III. killed in the battle of Llucmajor. From that moment on, Mallorca became part of the Crown of Aragon, to which the Crown of Castile was added with the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs. It was the beginning of the end. Mallorca fell into decline. The Catholic Monarchs had their sights set on the new world, America.
war of Spanish succession
During the war of succession to the throne of the crown of Spain, the Balearic Islands declared themselves loyal to Archduke Carlos of Austria.
In 1715 the Castilians occupied Mallorca, making the defeat effective. After approving the decree of the New Plant of the Balearic Islands and ending the Catalan administration and the foral law, the Castilian language would be implanted and the Catalan language would be prohibited throughout the territory.
Spanish Civil War
After the coup of July 1936, the territory of Mallorca was occupied by the rebels, who soon after would also take over the island of Ibiza. Meanwhile, the island of Menorca would remain faithful to the Republic.
During the rest of the conflict, Mallorca became an Italian naval airbase and the presence of military troops was considerably increased until the island became one of the epicentres of air and maritime traffic in the Mediterranean. After Franco's victory in April 1939, the Italian troops began a withdrawal that lasted more than two years.
From the Statute of Autonomy to the present
After the death of the dictator Francisco Franco, the country would begin a democratic transition thanks to which the region would establish a Statute of Autonomy to defend its historical identity. This document would bring with it the double official status of Catalan, the language of the islands, and Spanish, the official language of the State.
It thus came a period in which there were major advances democratic level and in which social and civil movements began to have much more relevance.
At this time, important care was taken of the tourist and natural value of the island, something that fortunately is still preserved today.
Comments