Aguilar de la Frontera
Encyclopedia
Aguilar, or Aguilar de la Frontera, is a municipality and town in the province of Córdoba, Andalusia
, southern Spain
, near the small river Cabra, 50 kilometers from the provincial capital, Córdoba
, on the Córdoba-Málaga
railway.
The population has not changed much in the past hundred years, and amounted to 13,653 in 2007.
captured it from the Iberians
during the Roman Republic
time and named it Ipagro, which took part in the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and flourished in the early Imperial Age
. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire
, it was ruled by the Visigoth
s and, from the 8th century, by the Muslim emirate of Córdoba, with the name of Bulay (also Pulay).
In the 9th century it became the headquarters of the rebel Umar ibn Hafsun
, who built extensive fortifications and reinforced the castle. However, in 891
, Umar ibn Hafsun lost the town to emir Abdallah ibn Muhammad of Córdoba. Due to istr strategical position, it was contented and, after the dissolution of the caliphate of Córdoba
, it became part of the cora of Cabra
. In 1240 it was conquered by the Christians, although numerous Muslims were allowed to remain. King Peter I of Castile assigned its seigniory to Alfonso Fernandez Coronel, but later reannexed it to the crown. The town was renamed Aguilar of the Frontier due to its position on the border with the Moorish Kingdom of Granada.
In 1370, due to the loyalty shown in the civil war, King Henry II of Castile gave Aguilar to Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, first of a dynasty who held the town until the abolition of feudalism in the 19th century. The town grew until the 1570s-1580s, after which it decayed, also due to several plague outbreaks which decimated the population, and to the shrinking level of the agriculture.
During the Spanish Civil War
Aguilar was occupied by the Nationalist faction, which exerted a harsh repression against their adversaries in the city.
Up to 60% of the population is engaged in agricultural work at some time during the year, although agriculture accounts for only 30% of the economic activity.
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, near the small river Cabra, 50 kilometers from the provincial capital, Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
, on the Córdoba-Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
railway.
The population has not changed much in the past hundred years, and amounted to 13,653 in 2007.
History
First traces of human presence in the area date to the middle Palaeolithic Age. The RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
captured it from the Iberians
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
during the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
time and named it Ipagro, which took part in the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and flourished in the early Imperial Age
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, it was ruled by the Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
s and, from the 8th century, by the Muslim emirate of Córdoba, with the name of Bulay (also Pulay).
In the 9th century it became the headquarters of the rebel Umar ibn Hafsun
Umar ibn Hafsun
`Umar ibn Hafsun ibn Ja'far ibn Salim , known in Spanish history as Omar ben Hafsun, was a 9th century Christian leader of anti-Ummayad dynasty forces in southern Iberia.-Ancestry:...
, who built extensive fortifications and reinforced the castle. However, in 891
891
Year 891 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven....
, Umar ibn Hafsun lost the town to emir Abdallah ibn Muhammad of Córdoba. Due to istr strategical position, it was contented and, after the dissolution of the caliphate of Córdoba
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
, it became part of the cora of Cabra
Cabra
Cabra is the Spanish word for goat. It may also refer to:*Cabra, Dublin, a district in north Dublin, Ireland*Cabra, County Down, a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland*Cabra, Spain, a municipality in the province of Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain...
. In 1240 it was conquered by the Christians, although numerous Muslims were allowed to remain. King Peter I of Castile assigned its seigniory to Alfonso Fernandez Coronel, but later reannexed it to the crown. The town was renamed Aguilar of the Frontier due to its position on the border with the Moorish Kingdom of Granada.
In 1370, due to the loyalty shown in the civil war, King Henry II of Castile gave Aguilar to Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba, first of a dynasty who held the town until the abolition of feudalism in the 19th century. The town grew until the 1570s-1580s, after which it decayed, also due to several plague outbreaks which decimated the population, and to the shrinking level of the agriculture.
During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
Aguilar was occupied by the Nationalist faction, which exerted a harsh repression against their adversaries in the city.
Main sights
- Castillo de Ponton, a castle known from at least the 9th century. It is mostly in ruin, a part turned into a cistern for the local aqueduct.
- Casas seňorale ("Noble mansions"), including those of the Montalego, Arrabal and Carrera (16th-17th centuries).
- Torre del Reloy (Clock TowerClock towerA clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
), in Baroque style, built in 1770-74 - Plaza de San José, a polygonal square from 1806 with the Ajuntamiento (Town Hall).
- Parish Church of Nostra Signora del Sotteraňo, founded in 1260 and remade in 1530
- Church of Seňor de la Salud (17th century)
- Church of the Candeloria (16th century)
- Church of Nuestra S.ra del Carmen (16th century)
- ermita de la Vera Cruz (16th century)
- Hospital of Santa Brigida (16th century)
- convent of San José y San Roque (1671)
- convent of the Carmelitas (1590)
Economy
The olives and white wine of Aguilar are celebrated in Spain, although the wine, which somewhat resembles sherry, is known as Montilla, from the adjacent town of that name. Salt springs exist in the neighborhood, and to the south there are two small lakes, Zoñar and Rincon, which abound in fish.Up to 60% of the population is engaged in agricultural work at some time during the year, although agriculture accounts for only 30% of the economic activity.