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History of Castillo de Villamalefa

Castillo de Villamalefa, in the Alto Mijares, was Muslim territory until the conquest by James I, then passed to the barony of Arenoso and ended up within the duchy of Villahermosa.

Muslim period

The castle belonged to Zayd Abu Zayd, the last Almohad governor of the Kingdom of Valencia, whose wife lived in Cedramán, where one of their sons was born. Islamic rule in the Kingdom of Valencia lasted from the 8th to the 13th century.

The barony of Arenoso and the duchy of Villahermosa

After the Christian conquest the place was included in 1242 in the barony of Arenoso, granted to Eximén Pérez de Tarazona. In 1355 the barony passed to the ducal house of Gandía when its first duke, Alfonso of Aragon the Elder, married into it. In 1464 it was confiscated from his grandson Jaime for rebelling against King John II of Aragon, and in 1471 the king gave it to his son Alfonso, for whom the title of Duke of Villahermosa was created.

Timeline

1242: Included in the barony of Arenoso, granted to Eximén Pérez de Tarazona.
1355: The barony passes to the ducal house of Gandía.
1464: Confiscated from Jaime of Aragon for rebelling against John II.
1471: The king gives it to his son Alfonso, the first Duke of Villahermosa.

Text written by Zona Zero TV from public sources; early dates vary between authors. Sources: Castillo de Villamalefa (Hispanopedia, basado en Wikipedia, CC BY-SA). Checked on 3/11/2026.