Peña de Martos castle

Municipality: Martos

Regions: Sierra Sur de Jaén

Latitude: 37.717866°

Longitude: -3.96084°

Altitude: 973.188 m

Video - Peña de Martos castle

Introduction

In this section, we will delve into the historical Castle of La Peña de Martos, a fortress that has borne witness to countless events throughout history and played a crucial role in the protection and identity of the city.

Martos is located in a privileged geographical position, at the foot of the imposing La Peña hill. This troncocónical hill rises to an altitude of 1003 meters and is part of the final foothills of the Betic mountain ranges.

From this prominent position, one can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the Guadalquivir Valley, making La Peña a key strategic point for observation and defense.

In the Middle Ages, Martos stood out for hosting one of the most impressive fortresses in all of Andalusia. This defensive system was articulated into two fundamental castles, each with its own history and purpose. One of them was built on the summit of La Peña, giving it its characteristic name: Castle of La Peña.

The other, known as the Castle of La Villa, was erected in the heart of Martos" urban area.

The Castle of La Peña de Martos is the primary focus of our study. Over the centuries, this fortress has been a fundamental element in the city"s history and played a crucial role in its defense and protection. Its strategic position atop La Peña makes it a true sentinel of the region, from which any approaching threat could be observed.

The Castle of La Villa, on the other hand, was situated in the very center of the city of Martos. Its construction primarily aimed to protect the villa"s inhabitants in case of an attack.

Over the years, these two castles worked in concert to ensure the city"s safety and resilience against various threats.

Historical Data

In the study of the various castles and fortresses that dot the province of Jaén, the Castle of La Peña de Martos emerges as a fascinating testament to the region"s history. Its legacy spans from antiquity, with roots dating back to the 5th century BC, to its eventual abandonment in the 16th century.

The earliest traces of the Castle of La Peña date back to the Iberian period when the oppidum of Tucci was established in the 5th century BC.

Later, between 17 and 14 BC, during the reign of Emperor Octavian Augustus, the Romans established the Colonia Augusta Gemella Tuccitana in this area, integrated into the Betic province.

During the Muslim period, the ancient Iberian-Roman site was transformed into a fortress known as "hisn Tuss." The Muslims expanded and fortified the area, surrounding it with walls and towers.

In the 9th century, a rebellion led by the Muladíes took place in the Castle of Tuss, but it was quelled, and Martos swore allegiance to the Caliph Abd al-Rahman III in 912.

With the fragmentation of Al-Andalus into taifa kingdoms in the 11th century, Martos came under the control of the Kingdom of Granada of the Zirid dynasty. However, the adventurer and poet Ibn Ammar seized the city from the Granada king Abn Allah and delivered it to the Arab Kingdom of Seville, with the collaboration of the Castilian king Alfonso VI, who needed funds for his campaigns.

During the Middle Ages, the Castle of La Peña was considered impregnable due to its elevated position and the solid defenses, including walls and towers.

In 1225, ‘Abd al-Mu ‘min al-Bayyasi, the Almohad leader of Baeza, handed Martos over to Castilian King Fernando III in exchange for support against the Cordoban caliph. In 1226, control of Martos was handed over to don Alvar Pérez de Castro, and it became the center of the Commandery of the Order of Calatrava in the Kingdom of Jaén. The Calatrava knights strengthened the defenses of the Castle and added a Tower of Homage, a chapel, a cistern, an oven, a mill, and a wine press.

The Castle of La Peña endured numerous Arab attacks over the years, including the siege of 1243 by al-Hamar and the assault in 1325 by the Nasrid king Ismael I, who used gunpowder artillery.

With the conquest of Granada and the loss of its military function, the Castle of La Peña was gradually abandoned in the 16th century.

The Castle

The Castle of La Peña de Martos, although what we see today are the ruins of a Calatrava fortress dating from around 1340, is a fascinating example of military architecture that stands atop a mesa with a trapezoidal plan adapted to its surface.

Its design considered security elements, such as a zigzag entrance to hinder access.

The compound is divided into two main areas: the alcázar and the courtyard of arms, both protected by a defensive wall.

The alcázar, which houses the imposing Tower of Homage, is elevated approximately three meters above the courtyard of arms, separated by a naturally occurring moat of considerable width.

The Tower of Homage, located in the southeast sector and of rectangular base, had the capacity to house a large garrison. It is separated from the rest of the castle by an artificial moat that runs along the summit from east to west.

Its construction was carried out using masonry laid in regular rows and bound with mortar. However, its corners are made of high-quality, finely carved ashlar. Internally, it consisted of three chambers: the first, now buried, still preserves its barrel vaults and three arrow slits for illumination; the second was divided into two longitudinal naves and featured three openings; and the third, in an advanced state of decay, had at least three arrow slits.

In the northwest part, in the lowest area of the castle, there was a cistern designed to collect rainwater that fell onto the esplanade.

With a rectangular plan and constructed with masonry, access was achieved through three semicircular brick arches supporting brick ribbed vaults. Attached to the cistern was a pool with two channels for water distribution, also of rectangular plan and covered in masonry with mortar.

The pool had the function of collecting water infiltrated into the terrain, increasing the storage capacity of the cistern.

The builders wisely utilized the topography of the mesa of La Peña, constructing walls where the terrain had the greatest elevation changes.

This allowed for the creation of a wall functioning as a retaining wall, with the parapet at the level of the courtyard of arms. However, on the southern side, where the castle overlooks the impressive cliffs of Los Carvajales, a simple parapet sufficed, although barely any remnants of it remain today.

The number of towers in the compound is limited, as the excellent defensive conditions of the location did not necessitate additional defenses.

With the exception of the corner cylindrical tower, which is hollow and housed two small rooms covered with brick vaults, the others were solid and built after the walls, serving as buttresses.

The Castle of La Peña was connected to the Castle of La Villa by a stretch of walls that included numerous watchtowers, forming an integrated defensive system. This feature highlights the strategic importance of the fortress in the region"s defense.

Legends

The Legend of doña Mencía de Haro In the rich tradition of legends surrounding the Castle of La Peña de Martos, one story stands out, paying homage to the courage and cunning of doña Mencía de Haro, a female figure who played a crucial role in the fortress"s defense during a moment of great peril.

The legend recounts an episode in which the mayor, don Alvar, the ruler of Martos, was outside the fortress. At that moment, his nephew, the young don Tello, decided to lead a raid into Arab territories from the castle.

However, this absence was seized upon by an Arab contingent to launch a surprise attack on Martos, putting the city and its castle in jeopardy.

Faced with the imminent threat, it was doña Mencía de Haro, the wife of don Alvar, who emerged as the city"s heroine. With great wit and determination, she devised a clever stratagem that would prove crucial in dissuading the Arabs from launching a rapid assault on the castle.

The stratagem involved disguising the city"s women as soldiers and placing them on the castle"s walls and towers.

Doña Mencía de Haro"s astute ruse convinced the Arab attackers that the castle was so well defended that it would be too difficult to conquer immediately.

This stratagem provided the necessary time for don Tello and his forces to return to the castle and lift the siege.

Thanks to the bravery and ingenuity of doña Mencía de Haro, Martos and its castle were saved from the Arab threat.

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