Castle of Capdepera

The Castle of Capdepera is a walled fortress located in the Spanish municipality of Capdepera, on the island of Majorca. It is one of the largest castles on the island. Its construction began in 310, but in the fourteenth century it was rebuilt on the remains of a Muslim village.
The Castle of Capdepera is important to the island as it was from here that the surrender of Menorca, the island neighbouring Majorca in the Balearic archipelago, was accomplished. King James I of Aragon, having conquered Majorca, decided he needed his troops for the future conquest of Valencia. He devised a ploy to deceive the Muslims residing on Menorca and cause them to surrender. To do this, he ordered a large number of bonfires lit in Capdepera so that they were visible from the neighbouring island. This was to make the Saracen Menorcans believe that a large army had camped there and were preparing to invade Menorca. The ruse worked. So finally, at this very castle, James I signed the Treaty of Capdepera, through which the Menorcan Muslims were allowed to remain there in submission to the King of Aragon under tribute.

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