The Early Settlements
It is not known exactly when Mallorca settled, but there are traces of early cave dwellers dating back to around the year 1000 BC. However, it is certain that Phoenician and Greek traders settled on the Balearic Islands, including Majorca. Some of the earliest settlers were, according to the legend, the so-called sling throwers, and this is possibly the name of the archipelago. Ballein means tosses in Greek.

In the Second Punic War, Majorca supported Carthage in the fight against Rome. The result, however, was that the Roman Empire had conquered Mallorca in 123. The Romans began to build roads and build new cities, and they introduced Christianity into Mallorca.

The Arab Age
After the decline and disintegration of the Roman Empire, Mallorca came after a time under the Arab Moors who ruled from the Emirate of Cordoba. It turned into 300 years of Arab rule in Mallorca. During this period some economic development occurred, but the ongoing tensions between Christians and Muslims also created periodic lows. In general, trade and agriculture were booming due to a strategically good position at the sea between Spain and Africa.

Jaume I and Aragon
At the beginning of the 13th century, some of King Jaume I of Aragon and Catalonia’s ships were robbed by the emir of the people of Mallorca. It caused King Jaume I in 1229 to conquer the island and establish the independent kingdom of Mallorca. During the fighting, many of the island’s Arab buildings were destroyed. Others were destroyed after the war as a symbol of the new rulers being Christians. However, there are still Arab buildings here, such as fortresses and Palma’s Arab baths.

King Jaume I’s political reforms created a boom in the new kingdom. Among other things, he gave the Jews freer rights and eased the taxes on trade that were rapidly developing.

At the death of Jaume Is, his kingdom was divided so that both his sons could take over part of the land. Pedro was assigned to Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia, while Montpellier, Roussillon and the Balearic Islands fell under Jaume II, a new regent.

Majorca’s positive development continued under both Jaume II and his successor Jaume III, who became the last Majorcan king. From the Spanish mainland, Pedro IV wanted to take part in the booming economy of Mallorca, and his forces invaded the island in 1349.

Spanish conquest
The Spanish conquest of Mallorca was the start of a long descent for the island. The era of independence and thus very free trade rights was replaced by rulers seeking to stimulate the development of Aragon on the mainland.

As relations with America had been established following the voyages of Christoffer Columbus, Mallorca was prohibited from participating in this new trade opportunity, and this led to a marked economic downturn.

The 16th century was a time of civil unrest, which among other things was directed at Karl V’s administration. At the request of the Inquisition, there were also some executions of Jewish residents, and finally there were increasing threats from the ever-strengthening Ottoman Empire. The stagnation continued into the 1600s, where besides economic downturns occurred plague epidemics that killed thousands of the island’s inhabitants.

Napoleonic era and the 19th century
During the Napoleonic wars around 1800, there were many Catalans who fled to Mallorca, who also belonged to the Catalan culture and language group (although Spanish had been introduced in the 18th century). After years of drought and the resulting famine, many of the island’s inhabitants emigrated to America.

However, after many centuries of stagnation, the 19th century became the starting point for a positive time for Mallorca’s economy. Agriculture improved, railways were built and communication with the Spanish mainland was greatly expanded. Catalan language and culture were then given a new era in Mallorca.

The 20th century to the present
The beginning of the 20th century was a time of many new buildings inspired by contemporary modernism, which not least influenced Catalonia and Barcelona. Many buildings were shot up during this time and there was a bustle with the trade.

In the mid-1900s, Majorca’s economic boom began in earnest. With the development of civil aviation, tourism really took off from the 1950s, with more and more Northern Europeans traveling to Spain and Mallorca.

Today, the archipelago constitutes one of the most prosperous parts of Spain. From 1983, the Balearic Islands became a province of regional autonomy. Palma is the capital as the largest city on the most populous island in the Balearic Islands.