View source for Palos de la Frontera

{{short description|Town and municipality in Spanish province Huelva}}
{{for|the suburb of Madrid|Palos de la Frontera (Madrid)}}
{{Expand Spanish|Palos de la Frontera|topic=geo|fa=yes|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Palos de la Frontera, Spain
| nickname =
| image_skyline = Palos.jpg
| image_caption = Panoramic view of downtown Palos de la Frontera
| image_flag = BanderaPalosEscudo0.svg
| image_shield = Escudo de Palos de la Frontera pergamino normal.svg
| image_map = Map of Palos de la Frontera (Huelva).png
| map_caption = Location of Palos de la Frontera
| subdivision_type = [[Provinces of Spain|Province]]
| subdivision_name = [[Huelva (province)|Huelva]]
| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
| area_total_km2 = 50
| area_land_km2 = 50
| area_water_km2 = 0.00
| population_note = 
| population_as_of = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
| population_total = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = ''palermos'' (m.), ''palermas'' (f.)
| timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| timezone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST = +2
| coordinates = {{coord|37|13|42|N|6|53|40|W|region:ES_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| website = [http://www.palosfrontera.com/ www.palosfrontera.com]
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Palos de la Frontera''' ({{IPA|es|ˈpalos ðe la fɾonˈteɾa}}) is a town and [[Municipalities of Spain|municipality]] located in the southwestern [[Spain|Spanish]] province of [[Huelva (province)|Huelva]], in the autonomous community of [[Andalusia]]. It is situated some {{convert|13|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the provincial capital, [[Huelva]]. According to the 2015 census, the city had a population of 10,365. It is most famous for being the place from which [[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]] set sail in 1492, eventually reaching the [[Americas]].

==History==
The official date of foundation for Palos is 1322, when the town was granted to Alonso Carro and Carro's wife Berenguela Gómez by [[Alfonso XI of Castile]], although the town may have been occupied during earlier centuries by [[Paleolithic]], [[Tartessos|Tartessian]], [[Roman Empire|Roman]], [[Visigothic]], and [[Muslim Spain|Muslim]] inhabitants.  Palos's name is derived from the [[Latin]] word ''palus'' (“[[lagoon]]”).  It acquired its “surname” as ''Palos de la Frontera'' in May 1642.

At the time of its establishment as a town by Alfonso XI, Palos was part of the [[Almohad]] kingdom of [[Niebla, Spain|Niebla]], and was a small nucleus whose population subsisted on fishing and took advantage of the area's geographic protection against [[Pirate|pirates]] and storms.<ref name = "juliobreve">{{citation|url = http://es.geocities.com/julioil/breve.htm|author = IZQUIERDO LABRADO, Julio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027022740/http://es.geocities.com/julioil/breve.htm|archive-date=2009-10-27|title = Breve historia de Palos de la Frontera}}</ref>

[[Álvar Pérez]] is considered the city's real founder.  He was only fourteen when [[Juan I of Castile]] granted him the towns of Palos and [[Villalba del Alcor]] in 1379 to make up for the fact that Pérez de Guzmán was forced to give up [[Huelva]] and [[Gibraleón]], which had become part of the [[county of Medinaceli]].  Álvar Pérez de Guzmán received from Juan I the right to tax the first fifty families who settled at Palos, and he began utilizing the lands around Palos for the cultivation of [[olive trees]] and production of [[olive oil]].<ref>Carta plomada de Juan II de Castilla por la que confirma a Elvira de Ayala y sus hijas la merced otorgada por Juan I, y confirmada por Enrique III, a Álvaro Pérez de Guzmán, su esposo, de liberación de todo pecho real a 50 vasallos suyos en la villa de Palos.|Archivo: [[Hospital de Tavera|Sección Nobleza]] del [[Archivo Histórico Nacional]]. Signatura: OSUNA, CP.27, D.5. [http://pares.mcu.es/ Portal de Archivos Españoles.]</ref>  After the death of Álvar Pérez de Guzmán, his widow, Elvira de Ayala, daughter of the Chancellor of Castile, continued her husband's work until her death in 1434.

Palos's Golden Age is considered to have occurred in the 15th century (especially between 1470 and 1479), when it increased its population to 2,500 inhabitants and its economy, based on fishing and seafaring expeditions to [[Guinea (region)|Guinea]], flourished.<ref>{{citation
 |last        = IZQUIERDO LABRADO
 |first       = Julio
 |url         = http://usuarios.lycos.es/Onuba/MO310.htm
 |access-date  = 7 January 2008
 |editor      = Cuaderno de Bitácora
 |title       = ORÍGENES de la Villa de Palos. I. El Puerto de Palos.
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080525152223/http://usuarios.lycos.es/Onuba/MO310.htm
 |archive-date = 25 May 2008
}}</ref>
Palos took advantage of the [[War of the Castilian Succession]], which became a war between [[Crown of Castile|Castile]] and [[Portugal]], to challenge Portuguese domination of the [[Atlantic]] trade.  Castilian naval forces always included natives of Palos, who were considered navigational experts:

{{quotation|...because only the men of Palos know the ancient sea of Guinea, and were used to fighting the Portuguese from the outset of the war, and to snatch from them the slaves acquired in exchange for vile goods|[[Alfonso de Palencia]], ''Crónica de Enrique IV''}}

Nevertheless, the war ended in defeat for the Castilian forces,<ref name="Historian Malyn Newitt">[[#Newitt|<sub><big>↓</big></sub>]] Historian Malyn Newitt: ''“However, in 1478 the Portuguese surprised thirty-five Castilian ships returning from Mina ''<nowiki>[Battle of Guinea]</nowiki>'' and seized them and all their gold. Another...Castilian voyage to Mina, that of [[Eustache de la Fosse]], was intercepted ... in 1480. (...) All things considered, it is not surprising that the Portuguese emerged victorious from this '''first maritime colonial war'''. They were far better organised than the Castilians, were able to raise money for the preparation and supply of their fleets, and had clear central direction from ... ''<nowiki>[Prince]</nowiki>'' John.”'' In [https://www.google.com/search?q=%22the+Portuguese+emerged+victorious+from+this+first+maritime+colonial+war.%22+&btnG=Pesquisar+livros&tbm=bks&tbo=1&hl=pt-PT  ''A history of Portuguese overseas expansion, 1400-1668''], Routledge, New York, 2005, p.39,40.</ref> and [[Ferdinand and Isabella]], in the [[Treaty of Alcáçovas]] (1479) gave up all rights to Atlantic and [[West Africa|African]] lands and seas, with the exception of the [[Canary Islands]], which remained Castilian.  Many natives of Palos nevertheless violated the agreement and encroached upon Portuguese sea routes in the Atlantic.<ref name = "juliobreve"/>

On August 3, 1492, the [[Pinta (ship)|Pinta]], [[Niña (ship)|Niña]], and [[Santa María (ship)|Santa María]] sailed from Palos.  On board were the Spanish crew of [[Christopher Columbus]] and the [[Pinzón Brothers]], who were natives of Palos.  Palos is also the site of the [[Monasterio de La Rábida (La Rabida Monastery)|Rábida Monastery]] where Columbus consulted with the [[Franciscans]] about his plans for organizing an expedition of discovery.  The three Spanish ships landed in [[New World|America]] on October 12, 1492.  The Santa María foundered in American waters, but the other two ships returned to Palos on March 15, 1493.

Palos would play a pivotal role in the settlement and Christianization of the New World in succeeding centuries.<ref name = "juliorelig">{{citation| url = http://es.geocities.com/julioil/religio.html| access-date = 29 August 2008| author = IZQUIERDO LABRADO, Julio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027022739/http://es.geocities.com/julioil/religio.html|archive-date=2009-10-27| title = Religiosidad popular en los lugares colombinos: su proyección evangelizadora hacía América}}</ref>  La Rábida would play a central part in the Christian evangelization of the Americas.  As La Rábida was a Franciscan monastery, that order would play a dominant role in this Christianization, and some of the first missionaries were natives of Palos, including [[Juan Izquierdo]], [[Juan de Palos]], [[Juan Cerrado]], [[Pedro Salvador]], [[Alonso Vélez de Guevara]], {{Interlanguage link multi|Juan Quintero (missionary)|es|3=Juan Quintero (evangelizador)|lt=Juan Quintero}}, [[Thomás de Narváez]], and Francisco Camacho.<ref>{{citation| last = ROPERO REGIDOR |first= Diego| id = DL H-148/89| editor = Ayuntamiento de Palos de la Frontera, Huelva| year = 1989| title= Fray Juan Izquierdo: Obispo de Yucatán (1587 - 1602). Historia y Documentos}}</ref><ref>IZQUIERDO LABRADO, Julio. "''Palermos ilustres.''" Págs. 41-42.</ref>

With the establishment of the [[Casa de Contratación]] at [[Seville]] in 1503, Palos suffered a decline.<ref name="AlvarezToledo">{{citation|author = ÁLVAREZ DE TOLEDO, Luisa Isabel|isbn = 978-84-607-1135-3|url = http://americaversus.iespana.es/4parte/1palosma/cen.htm|editor = Sanlúcar de Barrameda: Fundación Casa Medina-Sidonia|title =  África versus América (2ª ed.)|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100402231112/http://americaversus.iespana.es/4parte/1palosma/cen.htm|archive-date = 2010-04-02|year = 2000}}</ref>  Natives of Palos emigrated to America or to Seville, and Palos soon had few sailing vessels of its own.<ref name = "juliobreve" />  By the 18th century, the town had only about 125 inhabitants.  However, during the same century, [[Catalan people|Catalan]] investors established a [[viticultural]] industry centered at Palos, and the population slowly reached its pre-1492 levels.<ref name = "juliobreve" />  Palos also transformed itself into a center of the [[shrimp]] industries, and also became a center for the cultivation of the “fresón de Palos” (Palos-grown [[garden strawberries]]), which are now exported to the [[European Union]].

On June 22, 1926, the first [[flying boat|hydroplane]] to cross the Atlantic, the [[Plus Ultra (flying boat)|Plus Ultra flying boat]], took off from Palos.  The journey, done in six stages, ended at [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.aero.upm.es/es/alumnos/historia_aviacion/tema8.html#plusultra |access-date=29 August 2008 |editor=E.T.S.I. Aeronáuticos |title=El vuelo del Plus Ultra: Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) - Buenos Aires |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017031901/http://www.aero.upm.es/es/alumnos/historia_aviacion/tema8.html |archive-date=October 17, 2007 }}</ref>  [[Alfonso XIII of Spain]] gave the Plus Ultra to the [[Argentine Navy]], in which it served as a postal service airplane; the Argentines donated to Spain a statue of [[Icarus]], which is situated at La Rábida.<ref name = "julPlus">{{citation|url= http://es.geocities.com/julioil/plusultr.html|author = IZQUIERDO LABRADO, Julio|access-date = 29 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027022559/http://es.geocities.com/julioil/plusultr.html|archive-date=2009-10-27 |title= El vuelo del Plus Ultra}}</ref>  Alfonso XIII also granted to Palos the status as a city during this time.<ref name = "julPlus" /><ref>{{citation|publisher=www.palosfrontera.com |url=http://www.palosfrontera.com/turismodlocal/Historico/Muelle_Calzadilla.htm |title=Muelle de la Calzadilla |access-date= 1 February 2008 |editor=Web Excmo. Ayuntamiento de Palos de la Frontera. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028232125/http://www.palosfrontera.com/turismodlocal/Historico/Muelle_Calzadilla.htm |archive-date=October 28, 2007 }}</ref>

[[John Paul II]] visited Palos on June 14, 1993, the only time a [[pope]] has visited the city.  John Paul symbolically crowned the Palos's [[patron saint]], the [[Virgin of Miracles]] (''Virgen de los Milagros'').

There is a station in the [[Madrid Metro]] named after this town.

In 1850 the small town of Trenton, [[Illinois]], located southwest of [[Chicago]], changed its name to [[Palos Township, Cook County, Illinois|Palos]].  This recommendation was made by M. S. Powell, the local [[postmaster]], whose ancestor [[Pedro Alonso Niño]] sailed with Christopher Columbus from Palos de la Frontera.  When it incorporated as a Village in 1914, Palos officially became Palos Park.  The neighboring communities of [[Palos Hills]] and [[Palos Heights]] incorporated at later points.  All three municipalities lie within Palos Township.

==Sister Cities==
*{{flagicon|COL}} [[Cali, Colombia]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.femp.es/files/566-1112-archivo/LISTADO%20DE%20HERMANAMIENTOS%20CON%20LATINOAM%C3%89RICA.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-11-06 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081811/http://www.femp.es/files/566-1112-archivo/LISTADO%20DE%20HERMANAMIENTOS%20CON%20LATINOAM%C3%89RICA.pdf/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Latina, Italy]]
*{{flagicon|POR}} [[Lagos, Portugal]]

==See also==
*[[Lugares colombinos]]
*[[Christopher Columbus]]
*[[Voyages of Christopher Columbus]]
*[[The Pinzon Brothers]]
* [[Monument to the Discoverers]]
* [[List of municipalities in Huelva]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

'''Bibliography: '''

'''Articles'''
* Izquierdo Labrado, Julio. [http://www.mgar.net/var/algarve.htm  ''Relaciones de Palos de la frontera con el Algarve a finales del siglo XV''], La Rábida, 1993.

'''Books'''
* {{visible anchor|Newitt}}, Malyn (2005) [https://www.google.com/search?q=%22the+Portuguese+emerged+victorious+from+this+first+maritime+colonial+war.%22+&btnG=Pesquisar+livros&tbm=bks&tbo=1&hl=pt-PT  ''A history of Portuguese overseas expansion, 1400-1668''], New York: Routledge.

'''Chronicles'''
* [[Alfonso de Palencia|Palencia, Alfonso de]] – ''Gesta Hispaniensia ex annalibus suorum diebus colligentis, Década III  [https://books.google.com/books?id=-1A3cWT_1kAC&dq=%22Alonso+de+Palencia+decada+cuarta+naves+castellanas%22&pg=PA93 and IV]'' (the three first ''Décadas'' were edited as ''Cronica del rey Enrique IV'' by Antonio Paz y Meliá in 1904 and the fourth as Cuarta Década by José Lopes de Toro in 1970).

==External links==
{{commons category|Palos de la Frontera}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060603173131/http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/institutodeestadistica/sima/htm/sm21055.htm Palos de la Frontera] - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía
* [http://www.palosfrontera.com Ayuntamiento de Palos de la Frontera]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040605224640/http://es.geocities.com/julioil/  Historiador de Palos de la Frontera: Julio Izquierdo Labrado]

{{Municipalities in Huelva}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palos De La Frontera}}
[[Category:Municipalities in the Province of Huelva]]