HISTORY OF MALLORCA

 

The history of Mallorca is an endless story of
foreign occupations, invasions, uprising and war.

The island became alternatively a harbour for seafarers - a trading place for the Phoenicians and Greeks - a favorite object for pirates during centuries and an exercise in destruction for the Vandals over and over. The cruel Inquisition and various epidemics also played a significant role in this story. As far as can be concluded from evidence found in the mountains and from skeleton parts, the first pre-historic people must have landed on the island some 5 - 6000 years ago.

They lived mainly in mountain caves. About 1500 years before Christ other settlers arrived and they already showed some signs of civilization. The arrived from the East but their origin is not clear. It is thought they may have been from Sardinia. These settlers have left evidence of their existence in the form of "TALAIOTS", building made of gigantic blocs of stone. They were probably burial monuments, like other manmade caves one can fine on the island. "CAPOCORB VELL" near Llucmajor and "SES PAISES" near Artá are examples of these monuments.

The famous "MALLORCAN SLINGERS" date from the transition-period. They were skillful enough to prevent the landing and occupation by Admiral Magón around 200 b.C.

The ROMAN DOMINATION started with the coming of the Phoenicians who only used the island to establish trading-posts and - being seafarers - bury their dead. Some remains of these burial grounds are found on Mallorca´s east-coast. After the Phoenicians came the Greeks, but they mainly settled in Cataluña. In 123 b.C. the Romans, lead by Quintus Caecilius Metellus colonized the Balearic islands. For this achievement he was awarded the tittle of "Balearicus" by the Roman Senate. The Romans Founded Pollentia - now called Alcudia and Palmania, now called Palma.

Many important remains of Roman civilization are to be found on Mallorca. The Roman Theater in Alcudia surrounded by palaces and official buildings decorated with beautiful facades were examples but today only the theater remains. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, terrible times started on Mallorca because of the conquering of the island by the VANDALS. They slaughtered the population and destroyed all that had been built by the Romans during 450 years of peace. The "Byzanthians" - in the 6th. century - brought new civilization and had to deal with the almost impossible task of rebuilding. During the 7th. and 8th. centuries many invasions by Normans and Berbers took place.

However, in 902 the "MOORS" conquered the island, starting an important period in Mallorca`s history. Arab domination lasted for four centuries. Remains of this period are the " Almudaina Palace" and the "Arab Baths", both to be found in Palma. The Arabs brought refined civilization to Mallorca. Irrigation systems made it possible to grow new fruits like oranges and limes. Also they tough the locals how to make even the steepest hills productive by means of "terraces" and how to extract water from the earth with windmills.

September 12th. 1229 brought the landing of the King of Cataluña and Aragón "JAUME I the Conqueror". The Christian reconquering of Mallorca was executed by a landing force of between 12000 and 16000 man and some 1500 horses, carried by 150 ships. The Moors and Islam - turned Christians on the island had at the ready an army of some 18000 men. The King´s forces landed at Santa Ponsa and at the Coll de sa Batalla a terrible battle took place. The losses in human lives were huge on both sides, but the Christian conquest succeeded. After a siege of 3 months the King marched into the city of Palma, which name was the changed from "Medina Mayurca" to "Ciutat de Mallorca", meaning the same thing = City of Mallorca. Also he fulfilled a promise made during battle and laid the first stone for the great "Cathedral of Mallorca".

After the death of Jaume I in 1276 his son Jaume II - inherited the Kingdom of Mallorca, Rosellón and Montpeller. Despite some small wars between Jaume II and his brother, Mallorca experienced a flourishing time under Jaume II especial economical and cultural. The island became also the center of medieval cartography. Mallorca´s sea chats are known worldwide. He also began the actual construction of the magnificent Cathedral.

He founded eleven now cities, built the "Castell de Bellver", renovated the Almudaina Palace. Culture wise Jaume II was the patron of "Ramon Llull", one of Mallorca´s greatest citizens - philosopher - alchemist and many other arts, grounder of Catalan literature and writer of 150 philosophical works. Furthermore Jaume II began the construction of five huge churches in Palma.

King "Sancho I" inherited the throne in 1311 after the death of his father Jaume II. He, however, was a sickly person and a weak king. Troubled by asthma he died in 1324 without leaving a heir. With his death the decline of the Mallorcan monarchy began.

The throne went to his brother´s son Fernando -Jaume III, who in 1343 - had to flee for the armies of the King of Aragon. Jaume III tried to regain the island in order to save the Kingdom of Mallorca but in a terrible battle at Llucmajor on October 25th 1349 he was defeated and killed. The Balearic island now became part of the Kingdom of Aragon. At this time the beautiful residencies of the King Of Mallorca - Castell de Bellver - were transformed into a state prison. In 1492, when Aragon and Castilla united and also conquered Granada, the actual political unit of Spain came into existence and Mallorca became part of this unit henceforth. During those days Palma became the most important trading-city and its fleet numbered an impressing 400 ships. The "Lonja" in Palma became the "Stock Exchange of the Mediterranean".

During the reign of the "Catholic Kings" the Inquisition was enforced on Mallorca by Ferdinand of Aragon. Especially Jews were burnt at the stakes on what is now called "Plaza Gomilla" in Palma. During those days prosperity badly declined on Mallorca. Famine and pest-epidemics decimated the population. Early 18th, Century Mallorca suffered a lot during the succession wars which lasted until 1714. In 1716 Mallorca became a province of Spain and "Ciutat de Mallorca" was now changed to " Palma". Again the 18th. Century brought many famines and epidemics and it was not until the 19th. Century that that prosperity improved somewhat. Many internal was on the mainland, the war against France , as well as the continuous revolts and civil wars did not involve the island much, but further epidemics did.

At the elections of 1931 and the following proclamation of the Republic, Mallorca in fact voted for the Monarchy - one of very few. The year 1936 brought the fascists revolts and the 3-year civil war to Spain. On Mallorca - during a terrible repression - thousands of Mallorcans were murdered on the roadside. After that Mallorca lived for almost 40 years under the Franco dictatorship.

In the sixties the first tourists came and brought prosperity. In 1979 the Balearics changed from province to an autonomous region, political reconstructions followed and the Mallorcan language was reborn.