Majorca or Mallorca (/mjk/ or /-d-/;[1] Catalan: Mallorca [mrk], Spanish: Mallorca [

maorka])[2] is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the largest island in the Balearic
Islands archipelago, in Spain.
The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic
Islands. The Balearic Islands have been an autonomous region of Spain since 1983.
[3]

The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca (in the municipality of

Palma). The anthem of Majorca is La Balanguera.

Like the other Balearic Islands of Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera, the island is an extremely
popular holiday destination, particularly for tourists from Germany, the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, the United
States and Canada. The international airport, Palma de Mallorca Airport, is one of the busiest
in Spain, and was used by 23.1 million passengers in 2014. [4]
The name derives from Latin insula maior, "larger island"; later Maiorica, "the larger one" in
comparison to Minorca, "the smaller one".
Contents
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1 History
1.1 Founding of Majorca

1.1.1 Prehistoric settlements

1.1.2 Phoenicians, Romans and Late Antiquity

1.2 Middle Age and Modern History

1.2.1 Dark Ages

1.2.2 Moorish Majorca

1.2.3 Medieval Majorca

1.2.4 Modern era

1.3 20th century and today

1.4 Palma
2 Climate

3 Geography
o

3.1 Regions

3.2 World Heritage Site

4 Administration

5 Culture
o

5.1 Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria

5.2 Chopin in Majorca

5.3 Literature and painting

5.4 Majorcan cartographic school

6 Notable Majorcans

7 Language

8 Economy

9 Politics and government

o

9.1 Regional government

9.2 The Spanish Royal Family in Majorca

10 Cuisine

11 Tourism
o

11.1 Top 10 arrivals by nationality

12 Notable residents

13 Transport

14 Gallery

15 See also

16 References

17 External links

History[edit]
Founding of Majorca[edit]
Prehistoric settlements[edit]
Little is recorded on the earliest inhabitants of the island. Burial chambers and traces of
habitation from the Neolithic period (60004000 BCE) have been discovered, particularly the
prehistoric settlements called talaiots, or talayots. They are Bronze Age megaliths forming part of
the Talaiotic Culture.[5] A non-exhaustive list is the following:

Example of prehistoric talaiot in Majorca

Capocorb Vell (Llucmajor municipality)

Necrpoli de Son Real (east of Can Picafort, Santa Margalida municipality)

Novetiforme Alemany (Magaluf, Calvi)

Poblat Talaitic de SIllot (SIllot, Sant Lloren des Cardassar municipality)

Poblat Talaitic de Son Forns (Monturi municipality)

Sa Canova de Morell (road to Colnia de Sant Pere, Art municipality)

Ses Passes (Art municipality)

Ses Talaies de Can Jordi (Santany municipality)

SHospitalet Vell (road to Cales de Mallorca, Manacor municipality)

Ruins of the Roman city of Pollentia

Phoenicians, Romans and Late Antiquity[edit]

The first to colonize the island were the Phoenicians, a seafaring people from the Levant, who
arrived around the 8th century BCE and established numerous colonies. It eventually came
under the control of Carthage in North Africa, which had become the principal Phoenician city.
After the Second Punic War, Carthage lost all of its overseas possessions and the Romans took
over. The island was occupied by the Romans in 123 BCE under Quintus Caecilius Metellus
Balearicus. It flourished under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Pollentia (Alcdia),
and Palmaria (Palma) were founded. In addition, the northern town of Bocchoris, dating back to
pre-Roman times, was a federated city to Rome.[6] The local economy was largely driven
byolive cultivation, viticulture, and salt mining. Majorcan soldiers[7] were valued within the Roman
legions for their skill with thesling.
In 427, Gunderic and the Vandals captured the island. Geiseric, son of Gunderic, governed
Majorca and used it as his base to loot and plunder the Mediterranean,[8] until Roman rule was
restored in 465.

Middle Age and Modern History[edit]

Dark Ages[edit]
In 534, Majorca was conquered by the Byzantine Empire, led by Apollinarius. Under Byzantine
rule, Christianity thrived and numerous churches were built.
From 707, the island was increasingly attacked by Muslim raiders from North Africa. Recurrent
invasions led the islanders to ask Charlemagne for help.[8]
Moorish Majorca[edit]

Arab Baths in Palma

In 902, Issam al-Khawlan (Arabic: ) conquered the Balearic Islands, ushering in a

new period of prosperity under the Emirate of Crdoba. The town of Palma was reshaped and
expanded, and became known as Medina Mayurqa. Later on, with the Caliphate of Crdoba at
its height, the Moors improved agriculture with irrigation and developed local industries.
After the Caliphate was dismembered in 1015, a new, more decadent era started. Majorca came
under rule by the Taifa of Dnia, and from 1087 to 1114 was an independent Taifa. During that
period the island was visited by Ibn Hazm (Arabic: ) . However, an
expedition of Pisans and Catalans in 1114-15, led by Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona,
overran the island, laying siege to Palma for eight months.
After the city fell, the invaders retreated due to problems in their own lands, and were replaced
by the Almoravides from North Africa, who ruled until 1176. The Almoravides were replaced by
the Almohad dynasty until 1229. Ab Yahya was the last Moorish leader of Majorca.[9]
Medieval Majorca[edit]
Main article: Conquest of Majorca
In the ensuing confusion and unrest, King James I of Aragon, also known as James The
Conqueror, launched an invasion which landed on Santa Pona, Majorca, on September 89,
1229 with 15,000 men and 1,500 horses, entering the city of Medina Mayurqa on December 31,
1229. In 1230 he annexed the island to his Crown of Aragon under the name Regnum Maioricae.
Modern era[edit]
From 1479, the Crown of Aragon was in dynastic union with that of Castile. The Barbary
corsairs of North Africa often attacked the Balearic Islands, and in response
coastal watchtowers and fortified churches were erected. In 1570, King Philip II of Spain and his
advisors were considering complete evacuation of the Balearic islands. [10]
In the early 18th century, the War of the Spanish Succession resulted in the replacement of that
dynastic union with a unified Spanish monarchy under the rule of the new Bourbon Dynasty.
Indeed, the last episode of the War of Spanish Succession was the conquest of the island of
Mallorca. It took place on July 2, 1715 when the island of Mallorca capitulated to the arrival of a
Bourbon fleet.[11] In 1716 the Nueva Planta decrees made Majorca part of the Spanish
province of Baleares, roughly the same to present-day Illes Balears province and autonomous
community.

20th century and today[edit]

Population growth of Palma de Majorca (19002005)

A Nationalist stronghold at the start of the Spanish Civil War, Majorca was subjected to
an amphibious landing, on August 16, 1936, aimed at driving the Nationalists from Majorca and
reclaiming the island for the Republic. Although the Republicans heavily outnumbered their
opponents and managed to push 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) inland, superior Nationalist air power
mainly provided by Fascist Italy, as part of the Italian occupation of Majorca forced the
Republicans to retreat and to leave the island completely by September 12. Those events
became known as the Battle of Majorca.[12]
Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism has transformed the island into a centre of
attraction for foreign visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. The boom in tourism
caused Palma to grow significantly.
In the 21st century, urban redevelopment, under the so-called Pla Mirall (English "Mirror Plan"),
attracted groups of immigrant workers from outside the European Union, especially
from Africa and South America.[13]

Palma[edit]
Main article: Palma de Mallorca
The capital of Majorca, Palma, was founded as a Roman camp called Palmaria upon the remains
of a Talaiotic settlement. The turbulent history of the city saw it subject to
several Vandal sackings during the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It was later reconquered
by the Byzantines, colonised by the Moors (who called it Medina Mayurqa), and finally
established by James I of Aragon. In 1983, Palma became the capital of the autonomous
region of the Balearic Islands.