Baena

The site of the Roman town (Baniana or Biniana)[2] could still be traced as late as the First World War, with various Roman antiquities excavated from the site.[3] In 1833, a subterranean vault was discovered, containing twelve cinerary urns with inscriptions commemorating members of the Pompeian family.[2]

Following the demise of the Caliphate of Córdoba, the town was ravaged by Berbers, bringing its prosperity to an end.[4]

Once conquered Córdoba, Ferdinand III rapidly acquired a number of towns in the Campiña—including Baena—in 1241, probably meeting no resistance.[5]

The hill is crowned by fortifications. In 1292, Nasrid Granada, ruled by Mahommed II, unsuccessfully besieged the citadel, which was held for Sancho IV;[3] the five Moorish heads in its coat-of-arms commemorates the occasion.[2] The castile was a base for Gonzalo de Cordova and was held in the 19th century by the Altamira family.[2] At that time, it held four parish churches and three schools conducted by sisters of charity. The girls' school held a high reputation in its province, despite not going beyond reading, writing, arithmetic, and religious instruction.[2] Its population was around 12,000 in the 1870s[2] and 15,000 by the turn of the century.[3] Grain and olive oil were the principal articles of commerce in the 19th century;[2] by the time of the First World War, horse-breeding and linen-weaving had also developed, despite the nearest railroad station being at Luque.[3]

At the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the town was the scenario of the Baena Massacre, a ruthless mass-execution of Spanish republicans where about 700 loyalists were murdered by the orders of rebel Colonel Sáenz de Buruaga.[6][7][8] Other estimates mention up to 2,000 victims following the brutal repression in Baena.[9]

High-quality olive oil continues to be the mainstay of the local economy. Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park is located to the south of the town.

• Gonzalo de Cordova[2]
• Juan de Penalosa[2]

Citations

Bibliography

• Martín Escudero, Fátima (2002). "Baena en época islámica: fuentes, arqueología, documentos..." Arqueología y Territorio Medieval. Jaén: UJA Editorial. 9: 37–51. doi:10.17561/aytm.v9i0.1571. ISSN 1134-3184.
• Baena at andalucia.com
• Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Baena" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 229.
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Baena" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 191.

37°37′N 4°19′W