LA AXARQUIA
- COMPETA INFORMATION
Competa, Archez, Salares, Sedella, Canillas de Albaida, Canillas de
Aceituno, all towns which stand at the foot of the impressive Tejeda
and Almijara Sierras; all morisco (Moorish convert to Christianity)
towns, where vines were the main crop and are still an important element
in the landscape as well as the economy; all display similar characteristics,
reflecting the true essence of the Axarquia area, its scenery, its
way of life and its history.
The layout of their streets and the architecture of their whitewashed
houses, which create unforgettably-picturesque corners, gives them
a unique seal of identity, so much so that, together, they make up
what is known as the Mudejar Route (Ruta del Mudéjar).
Competa’s town centre is one of the most spectacular in the
province, its architectural highlight being Our Lady’s Church.
History
Some authors insist that the town’s present-day name is derived
from the Latin "compita", meaning crossroads; though its
position in the north of the Axarquia region must have seen it stand
on the route from the coast to the interior since prehistoric times
and through the Iberian and Roman periods, the history of the village
really begins with the Moslem occupation and subsequent Christian
reconquest.
In May 1487, shortly after the capture of Velez Málaga by the
Christians, representatives of the town of Competa paid homage to
the Catholic Monarchs, in an attempt to avoid reprisals and retain
some semblance of rights for the morisco (Moslem converts to Christianity)
population. In the end, however, the morisco rebellion which swept
the Axarquia region in the second half of the 16th century was particularly
significant in this area of Andalusia: the difficult living conditions
endured by inhabitants dominated by Christian troops created hostility
which ended in open rebellion led by Martin Alguacil -a native of
Competa- and Fernando El Darra. The moriscos established themselves
at El Peñon de Frigiliana, where they managed to repel the
first battalions of the forces sent by the governor of Velez-Málaga,
Arevalo de Zuarzo, in May 1569; it took reinforcements from Granada,
supported by Don John of Austria, and hundreds of rebel deaths to
finally quash the uprising. In 1570, the process of expelling the
moriscos was completed; their confiscated lands were given to Old
Christians from Sevilla, Baena, Estepa and other parts of Andalusia.
The town suffered at the hands of the major tremor known as the Andalusian
Earthquake on Christmas Day 1884; material damage included the destruction
of several houses and the spire of the parish church. Another tragedy
was to befall the village almost immediately afterwards: a serious
outbreak of cholera decimated Competa’s population in the summer
of 1885.
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