Competa information
Competa, Archez, Sedella, Canillas de Albaida, Canillas
de Aceituno, all villages which stand at the foot of the
impressive Tejeda and Almijara Sierras; all morisco - Moorish
convert to Christianity - villages, 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 soul of the Axarquia region, 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 village centre is the most spectacular
in the province, its architectural highlight being Our Lady’s
Church.
History
Some authors insist that the village’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 village 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. Moriscos established themselves
at The Peñon de Frigiliana, where they managed to repel the first
battalions of the forces sent by the governor of Velez-Malaga, 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 village 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.
Malaga province
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