The Castle of Alcalà, or Benissili, is located at the entrance to the valley when arriving from the inland areas, and at an altitude of 784.7 metres above sea level.
Historically, it was known as the Castle of Alcalà, and with this name it appeared in the documents of the time, but it is better known as the Castle of Benissili, as this village is the closest one to the fortress.
The historical function of the castle was to monitor and defend the entrance to the valley from potential threats coming along the inland routes.
This castle’s layout follows the normal construction patterns of Muslim castles, with a large courtyard and a keep, but what stands out in this case is the great extension, together with the structural complexity and the natural defences available. It is possible to distinguish three closed and connected structures or enclosures that adjust to the slopes and height differences of the ground: the keep and two large courtyards which cover more space than the keep itself. The keep is located on the highest part of the rock and consists of a series of constructions: a semicircular tower can be observed at the southwestern end while at the other end some sparse ruins give the impression that there could have been another tower. This last enclosure mentioned is accessed by a bent entrance located on the west side and defended by another rectangular tower. The walls and cubes, in various sizes, were generally made of rammed earth, while opus incertum masonry work can be found in the foundations of many of the walls. The courtyard extends to the east and is defined by rammed earth walls and a bent entrance. The third or intermediate enclosure has the same characteristics as the interior one, but it has a cistern.
It was the residence of al-Azraq during his first uprising (1247-1258). This is indicated in Llibre dels feits or Crònica de Jaume I, c. 376:
And the other day, after hearing the Mass, we went to Alcalà, and he did not dare to wait for us, and moved to Gallinera. And we went to Alcalà, because there he had a bigger shelter than in other places. But, according to Josep Torró, the most interesting thing is that it is possible that a village existed inside the castle grounds based on the remains of rooms within the courtyard. In fact, the donation of Alcalà made by Alfonso III in 1288 to B. de Vilafranca is expressed in terms of castrum et villam, that is, the castle and town of Alcalà de Gallinera.
Near the castle there is a spring and a pond that collects its water.
CHRONOLOGY
The existence and use of the castle can be traced back to the 11th century, and up until the 15th century, that is to say, it is a post-caliphate site or, at most, it was founded in the last years of the caliphate.
HISTORY OF THE CASTLE
The first written record dates back to 1245, with the signing of the treaty of Pouet, between King Jaume I and al-Azraq, by which the latter ceded to Christianity the castles of Pop and Tàrbena, retaining for himself those of Alcalà and Perputxent, and promising to deliver three years later the castles of Gallinera, Margarida, Xeroles and Castells.
On the 1st of June, 1258, the castle was taken by King Jaume I. This was also recorded in Crònica de Jaume I, c. 376:
And we don’t want to say all the things that were done there, because it would be an extension of the book: but on the eighth day we took Alcalà, and Gallinera, and sixteen castles that al-Azraq had stolen and removed…
A few days earlier, on the 26th of May, with the capture of the castle being imminent, Jaume I had donated to Gil Eiximeni the Castle of Alcalà and the Castle of Margarida with its farmhouses and fortifications, but not forever.
In 1261 the castle returned to the King, who gave it to various people so as to cover his debts.
Between 1261 and 1263, the children of Eximen de Foces were given the castle, until they received what the King owed them.
From 1267 to 1271, it was seized in favour of Pere Ferrando, the natural son of Jaume I.
In 1271, Pere Roiç de Corella was in charge.
In April of the year 1273, it was given to Berenguer de Latera, to cover debts, and for the same reason, three months later, on the 19th of July, to Pere Diego Muñoz.
In 1275, it was seized in favour of Mateu de Montreal, who was in charge until 1277.
Between 1278 and 1282, after the end of the insurrection and the pacification of the Mudéjars, the new King Pedro III the Great (I of Valencia) entrusted the custody of the castle to Roderic Jiménez de Luna.
In 1283, it was given to Mateu de Montreal again, due to another of the king’s debts.
In 1286 the management of the castle was entrusted to Jaume de Manso and in 1287 it was again given to Pere Ferrando.
On the 27th of August, 1288, the Castle of Alcalà ceased to belong to the Kings of Aragon due to the donation of the castle by Alfonso III to a man from Roussillon, Bernat Guillem from Vilafranca de Conflent, as a reward for the losses he had suffered in the war against France of 1282-1285. This donation put an end to the situation of royal property with regards to the district of the Castle of Alcalà, which became a feudal manor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ABOUT THE CASTLE:
SEGURA MARTÍ, J.Mª -TORRÓ ABAD, J. (1985): Torres i castells de l’Alcoià-Comtat, Congrés d’Estudis de l’Alcoià-Comtat: Catàleg exposició, Alcoi.
RUBIO, F. (1986): Castillo de Alcalà, Arqueología en Alicante 1976-1986, Alacant, pp. 37-40.
RUBIO, F. (1988): Catálogo de yacimientos y materiales altomedievales y musulmanes, L’Ull de Moro.
SOLAZ, V.-BOHIGUES, C. (1983): Arquitectura hispano-musulmana en la Vall de Gallinera. Inèdit.
