Language/Spanish/Culture/Ceuta-and-Melilla-Timeline

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History of Ceuta and Melilla: since when have they been Spanish?
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Melilla-Timeline-PolyglotClub.png
  • Morocco has historically claimed its sovereignty in both cities, which have belonged to Spain for centuries.
  • Ceuta | Why now and why like this? Experts see a "pressure" from Morocco to obtain compensation.
  • From Parsley to the biggest migratory crisis in recent history: the clashes between Spain and Morocco.

Undoubtedly, the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla are two relevant enclaves as they are the only territories of the European Union located on the African continent, the first border with Morocco. As can be seen today with the crisis that is being experienced in Ceuta due to the arrival of thousands of migrants from Morocco, both cities have been the subject of dispute between the two countries for centuries.

Morocco has claimed for years that Ceuta and Melilla are Moroccan, which has sparked an intense debate with the Spanish executive. In fact, the Moroccan Prime Minister, Saadedine El Othmani, assured last year that both cities "are Moroccan like the Sahara" and that the time would come to "reopen" this debate on their sovereignty.

However, Ceuta and Melilla have belonged to Spain for centuries, long before Morocco obtained political independence from Spain and France in 1956.

What is its history? How did they come under Spanish rule?[edit | edit source]

Since the first human settlements in Ceuta were known, the city became a strategic enclave as it was located between two continents and between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. It is for this reason that it has hosted a multitude of civilizations in all its historical eras. But, since when is it Spanish?

After remaining under Muslim rule for seven centuries, on August 21, 1415, the kingdom of Portugal conquered the current territory of Ceuta, more than seven decades before "the Catholic Monarchs concluded the Reconquest in Granada," they explain on the web. Tourism official in Ceuta.

It was in the year 1580 when it became part of the Iberian Union with Spain, since the kingdom of Portugal was inherited by Felipe II and was annexed. But it was not until two centuries later when the Ceuta joined "the Crown of Castile in 1640", becoming under Spanish rule. After not considering legitimate the proclamation of the Duke of Braganza as King of Portugal. Then, it continued to belong to the kingdom of Felipe IV in Spain.

The history of Melilla and its incorporation into Spain dates back to the year 1497, as indicated by the Casa de Melilla in Madrid, after being conquered by Pedro de Estopiñan y Virués with the support of the Catholic Monarchs. It was at that moment when he joined the Crown of Castile, although the disputes did not cease.

"In 1766, with Carlos III reigning, an attempt was made to resolve the conflict diplomatically through a treaty with Sultan Muley Mohamed, who promised to ensure order, respect and good neighborliness with the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla," they add. Thus, it appears as a Spanish square in the Peace Treaty of 1767.

And since when do they have a Statute of Autonomy?[edit | edit source]

Regarding their autonomy, the Constitution of Spain (1978) established in the fifth transitory provision that both cities "may become Autonomous Communities if so decided by their respective Town Councils, by means of an agreement adopted by the absolute majority of their members and authorized by the Cortes Generales, by means of an organic law, in the terms provided in article 144 ".

In this sense, relations with Morocco became tense again when Spain approved the Statutes of Autonomy of Ceuta and Melilla. In detail, Ceuta and Melilla have had statutes since 1995 when they were approved by the Parliament on March 13 of that year and subsequently published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

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