Encomienda of Segura

When we speak of "Encomienda", we refer to an assignment by the crown to a Spanish subject (or military group) of a certain amount of patrimony and/or territories in compensation for services rendered.

The encomienda of Segura de la Sierra was one of the most important and principal encomiendas of the military Order of Santiago.

The origin of the encomienda

We have to go back to 1212, when the battle of Navas de Tolosa was fought. It was then that Segura was taken; exactly two years later, in 1214. However, complete control would not come until 1242, when the Order of Santiago de Compostela was

To reward the Order of Santiago for its help in the reconquest of Campo de Montiel (Ciudad Real) and the Sierra de Segura (Jaén), the crown granted it the following lands and castles:

- Torres de Albanchez, in 1235.
- The municipalities of Hornos, Beas de Segura and Chiclana de Segura, in 1239.
- Segura de la Sierra in 1242, coinciding with the same year in which Pelayo Pérez Correa was appointed chief master of the Order.

In the commandery of Segura de la Sierra, its holders were titled comendadores mayores de Castilla (major commanders of Castile) due to their importance. In this assignment, the commanders had the right to collect tribute and administer justice in this territory in exchange for protecting and defending it from enemy attacks; at that time, from Muslim attacks.

The main functions of the encomienda of Segura de la Sierra had several aspects:

- Military functions, given its special orography and geographical location, acting as a border with the Kingdom of Granada.
- Fiscal functions. The administrative centre of the Order of Santiago was established in Segura. From there, the revenues of the military order were those received to administer its jurisdiction, military service, trade, pastures and various manorial monopolies.
- Economic functions. The economy of the land of the Segura de la Sierra encomienda was rich and fertile. It was centred on agriculture, arable land (irrigated and unirrigated), pasture land, livestock and forests.

Geographical scope

The Segura Encomienda was the largest encomienda in the Kingdom of Castile of the Order of Santiago. Its administrative centre was located in the town and castle of Segura de la Sierra, although its borders extended to the kingdom of Murcia, part of present-day Castile-La Mancha and the province of Jaén.

In the province of Jaén, the encomienda of Segura extended to the municipalities of Orcera, Siles, Torres, Hornos, Génave, La Puerta, Bayonas, Villarrodrigo and El Hornillo.

Outside the borders of Jaén, it extended to Moratalla, in the province of Murcia, and Albadalejo, in the province of Ciudad Real.

Several municipalities in the province of Albacete were also included within the Segura encomienda, such as Yeste, Férez, Letur, Liétor, Nerpio, Tazona and Socovocos.

Within its bordering areas, there were castles and fortresses such as:

- Torre El Cubo

- Hornos Castle

History of the Segura Commandery

The history of the encomienda of Segura de la Sierra dates from 1235, the date of its conception, until the end of the Ancien Régime in Spain, at the beginning of the 19th century, when this assignment was terminated.

According to the documents found to date, it seems to be deduced that King Ferdinand III was the first to appoint the knights of the Order of Santiago as encomenderos of Segura de la Sierra, an appointment that would later be confirmed and enriched with new privileges and gifts by his successors on the Spanish throne.

However, we cannot rule out the possibility that King Alfonso VIII, who was responsible for the victory at the Battle of Navas de Tolosa, had made some kind of donation or promise to the Santiaguistas with respect to Segura, since no references to this king can be found in the documents.

King Ferdinand III granted these territories to the Order of Santiago with the aim of guarding and defending the border with the Kingdom of Granada. In the 13th century, Christian-Muslim relations were tense and the intention to conquer Muslim territory continued. The encomenderos, at that time, were responsible for building and maintaining fortifications, recruiting and training soldiers and organising the defence of the area in the event of enemy attack.

With the passing of time, and into the medieval period, the encomienda of Segura de la Sierra continued to be an important border area between the Christian and Muslim kingdoms (it was not until 1492 that Granada was conquered, thus bringing the Reconquest era to an end). The strategic position of the municipality of Segura made it a key place in the struggle for control of the region.

During the 13th and 16th centuries, the Encomienda de Segura de la Sierra was an important economic centre, thanks to the production of olive oil and cereals, activities that still play an important role in the region today. In addition, its forests and mountains provided timber and hunting resources.

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the system of encomiendas was replaced by the system of lordships, which established a feudal relationship between the lord and the inhabitants of the territory. In the case of the Segura de la Sierra Encomienda, the lords who governed the area were the Fernández de Córdoba family, who also held the title of Counts of Cabra.

During the Modern Age, the encomienda of Segura de la Sierra lost much of its strategic and economic importance. However, its historical and cultural heritage has been preserved to the present day, making it a tourist attraction for those who want to discover the rich history and natural beauty of the area.