Amaiur-Maya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maya Amaiur
village
Amaiur/Maya
Entrance to Maya
Maya Location in Navarre Show map of Navarre Maya Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Municipality	Baztán

Amaiur-Maya is a small village in Spain. It is located in the beautiful Pyrenees mountains, very close to the border with France. This village is part of the Navarre region and the Baztan municipality. Its official name is Amaiur/Maya, using both its Basque name (Amaiur) and its Spanish name (Maya de Baztán).

History of Amaiur-Maya

The Royal Castle of Amauir-Maya

A long time ago, Amaiur had a very important castle. It sat on a hill next to the village. This castle was a strong fortress for the old Kingdom of Navarre.

In 1512, an army from Castile (another part of Spain) invaded Navarre. After they captured Pamplona, Amaiur's castle was one of the last places to fight back.

The castle saw many battles. These were fought between the combined armies of France and Navarre, and the Spanish imperial forces. The most famous battle was the Battle of Amaiur (Maya) in 1522. During this battle, Don Jaime Velaz de Medrano, who was in charge of the town and castle, and his son Don Luis Velaz de Medrano, bravely defended the last stronghold of Navarre. They tried to stop the Spanish forces from taking over completely.

Another important battle, the Battle of Maya, happened near the village on July 25, 1813. This battle was part of the Peninsular War, fought between French and British armies.

Panoramic view of the village of Maya from the hill where the castle ruins are located.

See also

In Spanish: Maya (Navarra) para niños