Arcos
Location
Getting here
History
Classic photos
Guided tour
Year in Arcos
People
Weather
Arcos blog
Outside Arcos
Property
More...
About
usSite map
Speekee
Links
The
history of Arcos de la Frontera
Summary
| Prehistory
» Christians | Ponce
de León Family | From
1544 | Architecture
Until
the start of the 16th century there's a lack of information available
on the fate of Arcos de la Frontera, but we do know that the town was
passed from hand to hand until 1440 when the King transferred it to the
Ponce de León family, headed by a daring hero named Don Rodrigo
(not the Visigoth of the same name!) who became the first Duke of Arcos
de la Frontera.
On
behalf of the Catholic Kings, Don Rodrigo used to capture towns and villages
held by the Moors, including many of those now known as the Pueblos Blancos,
or White Villages.
 |
The Ponce de León family lived in the castle and remained Dukes of Arcos de la Frontera until as late as the 18th century. Carved images of Don Rodrigo and his wife Doña Beatriz Pacheco still survive in the Chapel of Mercy (which Doña Beatriz founded) here next to the house. Hold your mouse over the image to the left of Don Rodrigo to see Doña Beatríz. |
|
Don
Rodrigo and Doña Beatríz
|
In
the Spring of 1485 Ferdinand and Isabella, the King and Queen of Spain
no less, visited Don Rodrigo in Arcos de la Frontera for a few days
of rest. Only seven years later they would be accepting the keys to
Granada from the last of the Moorish leaders, Boabdil; an act which
spelled the end of Islamic rule in Spain. This is the moment famously
immortalised by Francisco Pradilla Ortiz (1848-1921) in his beautiful
and evocative painting The Surrender of Granada:
The
Surrender of Granada by
Francisco Pradilla Ortiz
Next: From
1544
Top
of Page