History of Mallorca

Romans, Vandals, Muslims, Italians, French and finally, Spanish...

The island was occupied by the Romans in 123 b.c under Quintus Caecilius Metellus. Majorca grew rapidly under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Alcúdia, and Palma were founded.

The local economy was largely driven by salt mining and the sales of olives. Majorcan soldiers were valued within the Roman legions for their skill with the sling.

The island was sacked by vandals in the year 426, and annexed it to their kingdom in 465.

Majorca was conquered by the Byzantine Empire in 534, and ruled as part of the province of Sardinia. Under Byzantine rule, Christianity was allowed and numerous churches were built.

But from the year 707, the island was increasingly attacked by Muslim raiders from North Africa.

The Caliphate of Cordoba conquered Majorca in 902 and improved agricultural production with irrigation channels. The island benefitTed from these prosperous times and developed local industries.

After the Caliphate collapsed in 1015, a new decadent era started. Majorca came under control of the Taifa of Denia, and from 1087–1114 was an independent taifa.

However, in 1114, an expedition of Pisans and Catalans attacked the island, laying siege to Palma for 8 months. After the city fell, the invaders retreated, and were replaced by the Almoravides from North Africa, who ruled till 1203.

The Almoravides were replaced by the Almohad dynasty until 1229. King James I of Aragon launched an invasion adding the island to his Crown of Aragon after a 3 month campaign.

From 1479 the Crown of Aragon was in dynastic union with that of Castile.

In the early 18th century, the war of the Spanish succession resulted in the replacement of that dynastic union with an united Spanish monarchy.

In 1716 the Decretos de Nueva Planta made Majorca part of the Spanish province of Baleares, roughly equivalent to present-day Illes Balears province.

Palma played a big part in the history of Mallorca. It was founded as a Roman camp called Palmaria upon the remains of a Talaiotic settlement.

The unsettled history of Palma saw it subject to several vandal sackings during the fall of the Roman Empire. It was later reconquered by the Byzantine, colonised by the Moors and finally put in a firm position by James I of Aragon.

Palma became the capital city of Majorca in 1983, this was a big event in Mallorcan history.

20th Century

Majorca was subjected to an amphibious landing on August 16 1936, aimed at driving the Nationalists from Majorca and reclaiming the island for the Republic.

Although the Republicans heavily outnumbered their opponents and managed to push 12 kilometres inland, superior Nationalist air power forced the Republicans to retreat and to leave the island completely by September the twelth. Those events became known as the Battle of Majorca.

The island was used as a base for the Nationalist Navy and Air force for the rest of the Civil War, the Nationalist Navy and Air force mounted raids on the Spanish mainland.

Since the 1950s, the increase of mass tourism radically changed the outward appearance of both the city and the island, transforming it into a centre of attraction for foreign visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. This contributed to a huge change in the traditions and knowledge.

The boost in tourism caused Majorca to grow significantly, this had a chain reaction on the increase of immigration.

The history of Mallorca kept expanding and in 1960 Majorca received 500,000 visitors, while in 1997 it received 6,739,700.

In 2001, more than 19,200,000 people passed through Son Sant Joan Airport in Palma, with an additional 1.5 million arriving by sea.

In the 21st century, urban advancement, under the Pla Mirall attracted important groups of immigrant workers from outside the European Union, especially from Africa and South America.

Majorca has rarely been at the heart of great European affairs but the history of Mallorca is huge and will continues to grow.

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