Vigilance System and Control of the Nazarí Kingdom in Granada
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Vigilance system and control of the Nazarí Kingdom in Granada Manuel Argüelles Márquez Translation by D. Enrique Quesada Capilla 1Vigilance system and control of the Nazarí Kingdom in Granada Manuel Argüelles Márquez INTRODUCTION Years ago we began the study of the towers of the Granada Kingdom, mainly at its border near Alcalá la Real (Argüelles, 1987; Salvatierra et al., 1989). The present paper is a compilation of the full prospect work that it has been made during too many years. In addition to the border zones, where the number of findings has slightly increased, too many towers placed at la Vega1 have been included in this work. As it is clearly known, these towers can be divided in general in two groups, the atalayas (watchtowers) and the towers of alquería (hamlet). The function of the former was the vigilance and control of the kingdom by protecting a big fortress or town. The latter were connected to one or more towns, being a shelter area for protecting rural population, as it has been proposed for the rural “hussun” from levante (Guichard, 1986) or la Alpujarra (Cressier, 1984; 1992). Nevertheless, if it is not considered this division, the spatial distribution of these towers and their position on the hills, seem to draw various lines within the kingdom, from the north to the south, following the course of some rivers or making good use of some natural pathways. Moreover, in addition to the lines of the border, these towers seem to draw transversal lines, from east to west, like concentric belts surrounding the capital of the kingdom, whose articulation depend on the population density. On the whole, they formed a system similar to a “telegraphic” line, which allowed communication of latest news from one to another, even until the Alhambra of 1 1 I would like to thank for their collaboration to Mr. Juan Carlos Ureña Coca, Mr. Alfonso Mazuecos Moraga, Mr. José Pérez Quesada, Mr. Fernado Alba and Mr. Jorge Soria Navarrete 2 One day, by having a group of collaborators which were distributed all around the hills where rests of the towers are, it was possible to look at from the tower of la Vela of the Alhambra, on the horizon, the flashes of the mirrors. It indicates the importance of this line from Loja for keeping informed the town of Granada. Granada2. Although the towers were built at different dates, it is necessary to point out their perfect distribution, as a result of both, a geographic study and a perfect knowledge of the territory. In spite of the internal wars and the existing differences within the kingdom, or perhaps, as a result of them, this system could be the quickest one in order to keep all the territory informed, from the border castles to the central lands of the province of Granada. BORDER TOWERS (Colomera-Moclín-Montefrio) The line of fortresses built by the nazaríes opposite Alcalá La Real, and the access from the lands of Jaén to this area, consisted of the ones of Colomera, Moclín, Illora and Montefrio. The former has a list to east, in a higher mountainous area of difficult access. Actually, the main nucleus of this area consisted of the fortresses of Moclín and Montefrio, which were the alcazabas (fortresses) of the two main border localities. Each one was protected by a group of towers, being other group of towers between these two localities as an advanced barrier to the fortress of Illora, which was between Moclín and Montefrio, but behind them, closing the border. COLOMERA AREA 1.-“La Atalaya” (Colomera) (37º 23’ 58’’/ 3º 42’ 22’’) Situated 1032 m. above the sea level, near to “El Chopo” farmhouse, 2 km. far from the fortress of Colomera to the north. This tower is made of masonry, with circular plane, it is stretch and preserves only 5 m. high, being very damaged at its northern part. It guarded the lands of Benalúa de las Villas to the north, and the lands between Colomera and Moclín to the west. MOCLÍN AREA 2.- “La Porqueriza” tower (Moclín) (37º 22’ 4’’/ 3º 47’ 16’’) It is situated 900 m. above the sea level, at a strategic place, 2 km. far from Tózar and 3 km. far from Moclín. It is stretch until the half-high, having a 6 m. high door, reformed by hewn stone. It has circular plane, and direct view of both, the tower of “Mingoandrés” and Moclín, controlling the oriental valleys close to Alcalá la Real. It has been found Hispano-Arabic ceramics, coins and points of arrows, being the whole probably an alquería (hamlet). 3.- “Mingoandrés” tower (Moclín) (37º 21’ 20’’/ 3º 48’ 48’’) Its shape can be seen from a great distance on a hill which has the same name, in front of the post that indicate the km. 410 of road from Granada to Alcalá la Real. It is placed 990 m. above the sea level. From this tower it could be seen all the closer towers, controlling a wide area to the north and to the east, opposite to Alcalá la Real (Fig. 3). 4.- “La solana” tower (Moclín) (37º 20’ 53’’/ 3º 48’ 9’’) It is situated at a zone, which guarded the cliffs closer to the fortress of Moclín. It is 2 km. far from the fortress of Moclin and 300 m. far from the road Moclín-Puerto Lope. It preserves 6.8 m high, with a circular plane and a room upstairs. 5.- Top of “la Torrecilla” (Moclín) (37º 19’ 36’’/ 3º 49’ 05’’) It is placed on a smooth hill at the Top of “la Torrecilla”, 1196 m. above the see level at the Sierra of Moclín, very close to the top of this Sierra, “el Morrón de Catena”. It is fully destroyed, surrounded of ceramics, bricks and other less important structures. This area was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War by constructing trenches. It has a direct view of Moclín and other towers of the area. 6. “La gallina tower” (Íllora) (37º 19’ 23’’/ 3º 50’ 2’’) It is placed at the Top of “la Torrecilla”, at the west slope of the Sierra of Moclin, few meters far from the road to Alcalá la Real (km. 413) and 2.5 km. far from the village of Puerto Lope. It is a stretch construction with a circular plane. On its south- eastern part, a small door gives entrance to something like a vaulted basement. It was destroyed by a storm in 1970. Great amount of ceramics and rest of builds surround this tower. Although this type of tower is similar to the type of atalayas (watchtowers), it has some peculiarities that make it similar to the alquería (hamlet) types. 7. “La Mesa” or “la Cuesta” tower (Íllora) (37º 18’ 35’’/ 3º 50’ 51’’) It is placed 4 km. far from Íllora, 926 m. above the sea level, in front of the hill of la Laguna, close to the Sierra of Madrid, and 300 m. far from the farmhouse of “la Cuesta”. It has circular plane and is a stretch construction, preserving 6.9 m high. It is slightly damaged at the base at the eastern part. It has direct view of the tower of “la Gallina” and the “Tajo del Sol”, and a further view of the tower of “Mingoandrés” (Fig. 4). INTERMEDIATE AREA 8.- “El Morrón” tower (Íllora) (37º 18’ 22’’/ 3º 55’ 34’’) It is placed 1604 m. above the sea level, being the top of the Sierra Parapanda. Nowadays, there are no rests of it because it was destroyed in 1960 to build a TV relay station. It could be a key point of the vigilance system due to its direct view of both, a great number of towers (Tocón, “la Encantada”, the towers of Montefrío, “la Mesa”, etc.), and the three fortresses of the system. As our knowledge, it was cylindrical, having a room. At the moment of being destroyed, it preserves 3m high. 9.- “Jorbas” tower (Íllora) (37º 20’ 00’’/ 3º 54’ 35’’) Nowadays it is a pile of stones with square plane and preserves 1.7m high. It is very close to the farmhouses of “Arbitrios” and “Jorbas”, which give the name to the tower. It is 300m far from the road from Íllora to Montefrío, at the northern part of the Sierra Parapanda. It is surrounded by a great amount of ceramics, and even, it has been located at this place, a necropolis partially destroyed by the agricultural work. It is probably an alquería (hamlet) with its tower; at the moment it is not possible to elucidate if it was abandoned after the fall of Alcalá la Real, or if it continued being inhabited. MONTEFRÍO AREA 10.- “La torrecilla” (at the border between Montefrío and Íllora) It is situated at the top of “la Torrecilla”, in the western part of the Sierra Parapanda, 4 km. far from Tocón, and 2 Km. far from the tower of “el Morrón”. The proximity of this tower to the tower of “el Morrón” could be due to the winter overcast of the latter. From this tower, there is a view of the towers of Tocón, the hill of “la Torre” o “El Amarguillo” (V. Mesías), “La Encantada” and the two towers of Montefrío: “Los Guzmanes” and “Torre Quebrada”. This tower formed a line between the towers closer to Montefrío and the towers of Tocón and Illora, and therefore, it allowed connection of signals and vigilance of dark points, cliffs and gorges of the stream of “los Molinos”, at the western part of Sierra Parapanda. The remains of this tower were knocked down by the farmers; thus nowadays it only rests its name, which it is conserved both, in a closer farmhouse and in the hill of “la Torrecilla”.