La Mota Castle: the fortress of a mighty queen

Sara Rodriguez Romo | Live the World

November 23, 2022

Half an hour away from Valladolid, a traveller can spot a huge castle dominating the infinite Castilian plain. The fortress overlooks the town that it protects, Medina del Campo. The building is full of stories: being a military prodigy and unbeatable, its model was imitated all over Europe. However, it was also used as a prison, for instance, for Machiavel’s Prince, Cesar Borgia. As for the village, Medina del Campo turned into the favourite place of the Catholic Queen Elizabeth. She lived at the Royal Palace, where she met Christopher Columbus and granted him everything he needed to discover America. Here goes the story of Medina del Campo and La Mota Castle, the fortress of a mighty queen. 

The impregnable fortress

Despite its current appearance, La Mota Castle was born as yet another fortress to protect the border against the Moorish troops. However, at the end of the 15th century, queen Elizabeth’s father, brother and husband renewed it and transformed it into the best fortress at the time. You may wonder how it was done since it is made out of soft brick and earth, easily breakable. But that is precisely why. If you shoot it with powerful cannons, a stone wall will break, but this smooth combination will only absorb the impact and remain erect. The inclination of its walls, the depth of its moat and the height of its homage tower (42 metres) made it impossible to conquer. 

© Sara Rodríguez Romo

Being built by her most beloved relatives, queen Elizabeth I grew fond of this place. Before she became a monarch, she lived in Medina del Campo, and she always came back here for her important moments. At this place, she met Christopher Columbus and believed in his project when nobody else did, including her own husband, King Ferdinand. Here, she signed her own testament, recognizing her successor, not her own daughter Joanna the Mad, but her son, the future Charles I of Spain and V of Germany

Nowadays its patio hosts once a year the Medina del Campo film festival. 

© Sara Rodríguez Romo

A royal prison

As for La Mota Castle, it ended up being used more as a prison than a fortress. Hence, when Cesar Borgia, the son of Pope Alexandre VI, was in trouble with the catholic kings, he was locked up here. His life was the perfect example of the Renaissance prince, and he is said to have been Machiavel’s inspiration for his most famous work, 'The Prince'. He did manage though to escape the fortress by attaching a rope to his window and descending the huge homage tower wall. However, somebody discovered him and severed the rope, leaving him in a bad state, but he managed to jump on a horse and fly away. The next guest of this prison was not as successful: it was the queen’s daughter, Joanna the Mad. She was not mad, just deeply in love with her husband. When he died, she became depressive, and her own parents did not trust her anymore to rule the country. So, they locked her in this prison, and afterwards in the nearby Tordesillas, where she remained 42 years until her death. 

© Sara Rodríguez Romo

Medina del Campo

However, nothing of this sad story remains in Medina del Campo, a place full of life. Its Plaza Mayor, the main square, is one of the biggest in Spain, similar in size to Madrid’s one. Fairs used to be held in this place, and they were organized into guilds, as you can still see in the ground, where every guild has its plaque. On one side, you can spot queen Elizabeth’s statue, Medina del Campo’s most eminent inhabitant. In front of her, at the far side, there is the Colegiata of Saint Antolín, that Elizabeth wanted to become a cathedral. Next to it are the remains of the ancient Royal Palace

© iStock / sunlow

When you are done with the visit, it is time to think about eating. This place is ideal for a good meal. Right at the core of the Rueda region, famous for its wines, it has great artisanal meat, cheese and bread. Attend the local market, and let yourself be advised by the vendors. Medina del Campo has been known for its local products for centuries, and you need to try them! 

You see, in Castile, what looks like a normal small town, in reality, hides great stories. One of them is La Mota Castle, the fortress of a mighty queen. It is a place where the discovery of a whole continent was brought about. It was a prison for queens and princes, a fort so unbeatable that it was reproduced all over Europe.

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