Mallorca
Historical Background

add to Travel Bag (NEW)  

Mallorca's history reads as though the sunny isle were a mythical setting conjured for inclusion in The Odyssey or The Iliad. Through the ages, everyone from the Carthaginians, the Vandals and the Romans to the Byzantines, the Moors and the Crown of Aragon have planted their flags on Mallorca. All around the Mediterranean, as civilizations expanded and empires grew, everyone seemed to make time for a jaunt through this heavenly island locale.

Rome

Once upon a time, Carthage was the center of the world. As such, the Carthaginians sought to extend their reach to the "far corners" of the Earth, which, in the days before the Roman Empire, meant the far corners of the Mediterranean Sea. And extend they did, occupying Mallorca for a good long time, until the arrival of the aforementioned Romans. Rome took the reigns in 123 BC, aiming to capitalize on yet another resource-rich colony. If there's one thing any empire does well, it is ramping up production, and the Roman Empire did just that in Mallorca. Olives were a huge cash crop, wine making became utterly ubiquitous, and activity in the salt mines was in full swing.

The Moors

Over the next few centuries, the Roman Empire declined, and the Vandals immediately took the opportunity to annex Mallorca. Their rule was short-lived, however, thanks to the efforts of the Byzantine Empire. They moved in and pushed Christianity hard. Churches cropped up all over the island, leaving a lasting legacy. Not to be outdone, the Moors sprang into action, bringing Islam into the mix. Backed by the considerable might of the Caliphate, they seized the island and began to make improvements. Irrigation was introduced for the first time, and an influx of imperial capital led to economic growth in all sectors.

Spain

Throughout the next millennium, events would be set in motion that would lead to Mallorca's current position as a possession of Spain. After a period wherein a number of smallish dynasties from North Africa and Iberia fought over the island incessantly, a lasting victor emerged. King James I of Aragon set his sights on Mallorca, and wrestled it from the grasps of others with a force of 15,000 men in 1229. The Kingdom of Aragon united with the Kingdom of Castile in 1479, effectively creating the framework for the empire that would come to be known as Spain. The Spanish Empire had its ups and downs in the intervening centuries, but it always maintained control of the Balearic Islands, of which marvelous Mallorca is the crown jewel.

Modernity

The 1800s saw massive growth in Mallorca's wine industry and almond trade, but it was not until the 1950s that the island truly found its niche. With the war over and freedom ringing, European jetsetters found themselves with boatloads of leisure time and disposable income. The age of tourism had begun, and Mallorca with its sandy shores and eminently fair weather seemed a prime destination. Locals and outside investors met the challenge with gusto, lining the coastlines and avenues with swank hotels and world-class restaurants. The island's population exploded accordingly, leading to an increasingly diverse and wonderfully distinctive culture. Today, the name of the game is still tourism, and nobody plays it better than Mallorca.