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The Atalaya Castle (Spanish: ''Castillo de la Atalaya'' or ''Castillo de Villena'', English: Watchtower's Castle) is a castle in Villena, province of Alicante, southern Spain. Located over a spur of the Sierra de la Villa, in the north-western part of the province of Alicante, it commands the former frontier between Castile and Kingdom of Aragon. ==History== The castle was built in an unknown age, although not after the 12th century, since Arab sources mention it in 1172. It has been speculated that the fortification could have been built over a Roman ''castrum'' or villa, but no proofs of this have been found. The castle was an important stronghold on the northern frontier of the Islamic emirate of Iberia, and resisted to three different sieges laid by James I of Aragon. He was finally able to conquer it in 1240, although the castle was handed over to the Kingdom of Castile after the Treaty of Almizra of 1244. It was first given to the Order of Calatrava, but was soon acquired by ''Infante'' Manuel when he became lord of Villena. Here resided his son, writer Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, who was succeeded as proprietor by Alfonso of Aragon and Foix, the first Marquis of Villena. In 1476 the citizens of Villena, encouraged by the Catholic Monarchs, rebelled against the marquisses and killed numerous Jews and ''conversos'' who had taken refuge in the castle. After this event, the castle stopped to be residence of the marquisses, and, together with the city, became a royal possession. During the Revolt of the Brotherhoods (1519–1523), viceroy Diego Mendoza took refuge in the fortress after his defeat at Gandía, and from here set out the troops which restored the royal power in Spain. During the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1713), 50 Bourbon loyalist troops sustained a siege of 8 days from Austrian units. The castle was abandoned after the loot perpetrated by the French Marshal Suchet in the course of the Peninsular War (early 19th century). A first restoration was carried out in 1958. The castle is now in good conditions and is the centre of the yearly Moros y Cristianos feast. The castle was declared a Historical-Artistic Monument in 1931. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Atalaya Castle (Spain)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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