Castillejo Castle

Castillejo Castle, locally known as Castillejo de Monteagudo (which translates to Little Monteagudo Castle), lies on a low hill next to Monteagudo Castle, in the province of Murcia in Spain.

Castillejo Castle was built by Abu ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Mardanis, nicknamed "the Wolf King", king of Murcia from 1147 until 1172. It was built as a fortified palace with a luxurious inner court and an outer enclosure. It was called Qasr Ibn Sa'd and, together with the nearby castles of Monteagudo and Larache, had to protect the city of Murcia.

In 1172 the Taifa of Murcia fell to the invading Almohads and the castle was destroyed.

In 1243 Murcia became a protectorate of Castile. Alfonso X, king of Castile from 1252 until 1284, resided in Monteagudo Castle when he was in Murcia. He donated Castillejo Castle, together with Monteagudo and Larache, to Violant of Aragon when they married in 1249. At that time the castle may still have had some use but wasn't fit as a residence for the royals anymore. After that it fell prey to the passing of time.

At present Castillejo Castle is situated in a private lemon orchard and can not be visited. Too bad, I am very curious to see what remains inside the castle, although apparently there is a modern irrigation pond built inside somewhere in the last decades.

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