Martos

Sister cities

• Baler
• Mora
• Cellamare

History

The city has been linked to the Roman settlement of Colonia Augusta Gemella, and starting in the 8th century was ruled by the Moors under various Islamic states for over 500 years. In 1225, King Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon were handed the city from Al Bayyasi in exchange for helping Al Bayyasi in his war against the Almohads in Andalusia. Subsequently, Ferdinand III incorporated it into his kingdom. During the Middle Ages, Martos became a strategic place, and its defences were reinforced with the construction of numerous fortifications in the city. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Martos underwent significant economic and urban development (reflected in the city's architecture), in large part due to the wealth derived from the industrial production of olive oil. Martos thus became one of the most prosperous cities of eastern Andalusia. Around 250 AD, a bishopric was established in present Martos under the name Tucci, on territory from the suppressed Diocese of Iliturgi. It was a suffragan of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sevilla. In 350, it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Cástulo (now also a titular see), which it regained at that bishopric's suppression around 400. In 715, it was suppressed to establish the Diocese of Beaza. Recorded bishops are Rogato (675? – 688?) and Teudisclo (693? – ?).

Most-observed species

• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  745
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  586
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  555
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  473
• Spotless Starling

  Sturnus unicolor Temminck, 1820 · Aves
  397
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  320
• European Goldfinch

  Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  305
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  305

Most recent

• M 4.6 — 2021-08-12
  2 km W of Santafé, Spain
• M 4.3 — 2021-01-28
  2 km NW of Santafé, Spain
• M 4.3 — 2021-01-26
  2 km WNW of Atarfe, Spain
• M 4.1 — 2021-01-26
  2 km S of Atarfe, Spain
• M 4 — 2021-01-26
  2 km ESE of Chauchina, Spain
• M 4.2 — 2021-01-23
  2 km WSW of Santafé, Spain