Tolox
Encyclopedia
Tolox is a village and municipality in the province of Málaga
, Andalusia
, southern Spain
. The municipality has a population of 2,317 (2006). It is situated in the centre of the Sierra de las Nieves
Nature Park, at the foot of Sierra Blanca and Sierra Parda. In addition to La Torrecilla
Peak (1,919 m.), there are ancient woodlands of Spanish Fir
and gall oak. The municipality covers 94 km², has a mean elevation of 285 m. and mean geographical coordinates of 36° 41' 11" N, 4° 54' 16" E.
The village of Tolox has winding streets, with white-washed houses and doors and window boxes overflowing with flowers in season.
name and a Phoenicia
n origin is confirmed by archaeological evidence. It was occupied by Rome
and considerable rebuilding was done under Roman rule. Later it fell to the Visigoths and then to the Ummayad Arab invaders. Tolox was freed from Córdoba rule in 883
by Umar ibn Hafsun
, who developed it to one of his main bases in the Serranía de Ronda
. It did not fall until 921
when his son Süleyman surrendered it to Abd-ar-Rahman III
.
After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Tolox came under the Kingdom of Granada
and it was not turned over to Ferdinand and Isabella, Los Reyes Católicos ("The Catholic Monarchs") until 1485 by Sancho de Angula. Tolox continued to have a large Moorish population and at Christmas 1539 there was civil strife between the predominantly moorish peasants and the Christian landholders. Each year during Carnival
Tolox commemorates these events with the "Dia de los polvos"
, ("Day of the Powder"). In 1568-1571 Tolox took part in the Moorish rebellion
. As a result, Tolox was almost entirely depopulated first by the war, and then any remaining moors were relocated in small groups to Valencia
. Philip II
then called for Christian settlers from Seville
, Córdoba, and as far away as Galicia.
In the War of Independence
Tolox fought under the command of Francisco Javier de Abadía (commander of the Campo de Gibraltar) against the invading Napoleonic
troops. Later soldiers from Cártama and Tolox under the command of General Don Francisco Ballesteros conducted guerrilla warfare out of the mountains against the French.
Málaga (province)
The Province of Málaga is located on the southern coast of Spain, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the South, and by the provinces of Cádiz, Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada.Its area is 7,308 km²...
, Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, southern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The municipality has a population of 2,317 (2006). It is situated in the centre of the Sierra de las Nieves
Sierra de las Nieves
The Sierra de las Nieves natural park is located in the hills behind Marbella and to the east of the road to Ronda from the Costa del Sol in Andalucia in Southern Spain....
Nature Park, at the foot of Sierra Blanca and Sierra Parda. In addition to La Torrecilla
La Torrecilla
La Torrecilla is a mountain with a height of 1,919 metres which lies south east of Ronda in the Sierra de las Nieves nature park in Andalucia, southern Spain....
Peak (1,919 m.), there are ancient woodlands of Spanish Fir
Spanish Fir
Abies pinsapo is a species of fir native to southern Spain and northern Morocco. Related to other species of mediterranean firs, is considered the Andalusian National Tree, native of the Andalusian mountains...
and gall oak. The municipality covers 94 km², has a mean elevation of 285 m. and mean geographical coordinates of 36° 41' 11" N, 4° 54' 16" E.
Village
History
While the area was inhabited in Paleolithic times, the village of Tolox bears a PhoenicianPhoenician languages
Phoenician was a language originally spoken in the coastal region then called "Canaan" in Phoenician, Arabic, Hebrew, and Aramaic, "Phoenicia" in Greek and Latin, and "Pūt" in Ancient Egyptian. Phoenician is a Semitic language of the Canaanite subgroup; its closest living relative is Hebrew, to...
name and a Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n origin is confirmed by archaeological evidence. It was occupied by Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and considerable rebuilding was done under Roman rule. Later it fell to the Visigoths and then to the Ummayad Arab invaders. Tolox was freed from Córdoba rule in 883
883
Year 883 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Oldest known mention of the city of Duisburg.* Monte Cassino is sacked and burned down by the Saracens....
by Umar ibn Hafsun
Umar ibn Hafsun
`Umar ibn Hafsun ibn Ja'far ibn Salim , known in Spanish history as Omar ben Hafsun, was a 9th century Christian leader of anti-Ummayad dynasty forces in southern Iberia.-Ancestry:...
, who developed it to one of his main bases in the Serranía de Ronda
Serranía de Ronda
The Serranía de Ronda is a comarca in the western part of province of Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. As is currently the norm in Andalusia, it has no formal status...
. It did not fall until 921
921
Year 921 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Crushing defeat of the Idrisid dynasty against their Fatimid rivals...
when his son Süleyman surrendered it to Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir and Caliph of Córdoba of the Ummayad dynasty in al-Andalus. Called al-Nasir li-Din Allah , he ascended the throne in his early 20s, and reigned for half a century as the most powerful prince of Iberia...
.
After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Tolox came under the Kingdom of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
and it was not turned over to Ferdinand and Isabella, Los Reyes Católicos ("The Catholic Monarchs") until 1485 by Sancho de Angula. Tolox continued to have a large Moorish population and at Christmas 1539 there was civil strife between the predominantly moorish peasants and the Christian landholders. Each year during Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
Tolox commemorates these events with the "Dia de los polvos"
Powder Day
Powder Day or Day of the Powder, is celebrated in the southern Spanish village of Tolox on Shrove Tuesday, the final day of the annual Tolox carnival...
, ("Day of the Powder"). In 1568-1571 Tolox took part in the Moorish rebellion
Morisco
Moriscos or Mouriscos , meaning "Moorish", were the converted Christian inhabitants of Spain and Portugal of Muslim heritage. Over time the term was used in a pejorative sense applied to those nominal Catholics who were suspected of secretly practicing Islam.-Demographics:By the beginning of the...
. As a result, Tolox was almost entirely depopulated first by the war, and then any remaining moors were relocated in small groups to Valencia
Valencia (province)
Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
. Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
then called for Christian settlers from Seville
Seville (province)
Seville is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Cádiz, Huelva, Badajoz, and Córdoba.Its area is 14,042 km²...
, Córdoba, and as far away as Galicia.
In the War of Independence
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
Tolox fought under the command of Francisco Javier de Abadía (commander of the Campo de Gibraltar) against the invading Napoleonic
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
troops. Later soldiers from Cártama and Tolox under the command of General Don Francisco Ballesteros conducted guerrilla warfare out of the mountains against the French.