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Cuento y Leyenda de Algarrobo

Diputación de Málaga
Portada Guía de cuentos y leyendas de la Axarquía.ESP

Cuento y Leyenda de Algarrobo

Zip Code 29750
Chronicles and Legends (si se trata de historia)

Its name comes from the Arab word “al-karat”.

  • Name of its inhabitants:

Algarrobenos.

  • Famous personalities:

A personality worth mentioning is Enrique Ramos Ramos who was born in 1.890 and died in exile in 1.958. He participated decisively in the setting up of the Second Republic. He was President of the Council of Ministersin all the cabinets presided by Manuel Azana. He was President of the National Tourist Board and Ministerfor Employment, Health and Social Security and later  Chancellor of the Exchequer in Casares Quiroga’s government.

  • Legend:

The heroic defense by its inhabitants during the Frenchinvasion, as a result of the bravery and astuteness of its guerrillas, gave rise to a legend. The story goes – andin this case there might be an element of truth, still tobe confirmed – that one of these bands made up mainly  of men from Algarrobo and lead by a certain Segovia  ambushed and killed an unknown number of Frenchsoldiers.

The French commanding officer’s reaction was swift.He blamed the whole town for the death of the invaders,as the members of the band came from the town andwere protected by it, and therefore he decided that Algarrobo, as a taunt to the neighbouring towns, shouldbe reduced to ashes and its inhabitants annihilated.The mayor asked for clemency and for the sentenceto be delayed until the French governor in Málaga was notified of the case, hoping that he would be mercifuland forgive them.

The commanding officer accepted this and calculated the time it would take a man to go and to return from Málaga, as well as carry out the task, and took off somehours to avoid the mission from succeeding, and that was the time the town was given to save itself from destruction. Time was not on the side of the desperate townsfolk and to gain time it was decided to give one of the best horses to one of the best horsemen in thetown who, by running the animal to the ground in hisdesperate ride, arrived in time with the letter with there prieve which saved the town of Algarrobo.

The fascination of legends for underground passagesis clear in Algarrobo, as there is a story that says thereis one of these passages between the fortress of thetown and Bentomiz Castle, built – most certainly – soas to carry supplies from one place to the other without  having to go out to open ground during sieges. Thetunnel has not been found but the legend continues.

 

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