Castle of Capdepera facts for kids
| Castell de Capdepera | |
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| Coordinates | 39°42′N 3°25′E / 39.700°N 3.417°E |
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| Location | Majorca |
| Type | Fortress |
The Castle of Capdepera is a strong fortress with walls. It is located in Capdepera, a town on the island of Majorca in Spain. It's one of the biggest castles on the island. People started building it around 310 AD. Later, in the 1300s, it was rebuilt on top of an old Muslim village.
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History of Capdepera Castle
The Castle of Capdepera played a very important role for Majorca. From this castle, the surrender of Menorca was arranged. Menorca is a nearby island in the Balearic archipelago.
King James I's Clever Plan
After King James I of Aragon conquered Majorca, he needed his soldiers for another battle. He wanted to conquer Valencia next. So, he came up with a clever trick to make the Muslims on Menorca surrender without a fight.
He ordered many bonfires to be lit in Capdepera. These fires were big enough to be seen from Menorca. The idea was to make the Menorcan people believe a huge army was camped there. They would think this army was getting ready to invade Menorca.
The trick worked! The people of Menorca believed a large invasion was coming. Because of this, they decided to surrender.
The Treaty of Capdepera
Finally, at this very castle, King James I signed the Treaty of Capdepera. This agreement allowed the Menorcan Muslims to stay on their island. However, they had to accept the King of Aragon as their ruler. They also had to pay him taxes.
Building the Castle Walls
The first fortress on this site was built by the Romans. Later, the Moors made it bigger. Christian invasions destroyed parts of it. But in the 1300s, a new structure was built in the same spot.
King James II (who ruled from 1285 to 1295) founded the town of Capdepera around 1300. He ordered the people living in the area to build the strong walls. These walls surrounded one of the old watchtowers, now called Miquel Nunis. The castle's location on a hill was perfect. It allowed them to see the nearby lands and the sea channel between the two islands.
Later Years of the Castle
Military troops used the castle until 1854. After that, it was left empty. From 1854 until 1983, private owners looked after it. Then, in 1983, the owners gave the castle to the Capdepera Town Council.
In the year 2000, the council celebrated the castle's 700th birthday. Today, the Castle of Capdepera is open all year for tourists to visit and explore.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Capdepera para niños
