Cáceres information
Trujillo information
Trujillo originally "Turgallium" in Latin meaning an indigenous
fortified village, became a Roman city under the rule of Trajan.
Built on a granite hill it's surrounded by many large rugged outcrops
of stone.
For the Visigoths Trujillo was their main city of the region on
the road between Mérida and Toledo.
Captured in the 7th century by the Muslims it was known as "Torgelo".
In the 9th century the Berbers built the walls, towers and cistern
making 
it
an important fortification in the defensive network with Cáceres
and Montánchez.
The Christian Knights of Trujillo took the castle, but in 1196
the Muslims recaptured it at the battle of Alarcos. Finally with
the aid of knights from the orders of Santiago, Templar, Alcántara
and Hospitalarios de San Juan and with troups of the Bishop of
Plasencia Trujillo was reconquered on Jan. 25, 1232. According
to local tradition, the attacking troups saw between the castle
towers a vision the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus, which encouraged
the Christians to overpower the Saracens.
After the reconquest, Trujillo was made a freecity in 1256 and
was placed under the crown in 1430 and in 1465 King Henry IV made
it a market town. In the 15th century feudal infighting erupted
between the wealther noble families. In 1476 the king passed and
edict ordering the disablement of fortified palace strongholds.
As a result a noble family was no longer allowed to have towers
taller than the neighoring houses nor could they be equipped with
narrow windows for archers. Except for clergy, all men until the
age of 60, including nobles, were required by the King to service
in battle. Men from Trujillo fought valliantly in the battle of
Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain.
From this prosperous market city came two of the most famous conquistadors
the most successful of whom was Francisco Pizarro who captured
the Inca Empire in Peru. Also Francisco de Orellana who navigated
and named the Amazon river.
Trujillo grew in importance and flourished for three centuries.
In 1790, in fact, Trujillo was the seat of the largest judicial
district in Extremadura, encompassing 84 towns and villages. But
the Napoleonic invasion in 1809 ended the town's prosperity. French
troops plundered anything of value, and then destroyed and set
fire to most of the buildings. It was again pillaged by British
forces who "liberated" them in 1811. After the Napleonic War,
the city was reduced to piles of rubble, and only those too poor
or too old to move away, stayed behind to reconstruct it.
Today Trujillo is regaining some of its past glory. Located on
the new freeway between Madrid and Lisbon it has an increased
number of tourists. Restoration of palaces in the old town has
also begun.