Habsburg and Bourbon Spain

Ayamonte

Today: Spain

Years: 1492–1833
Role: Border marquisate on the Guadiana

Ayamonte, a border town on the Guadiana facing Portugal, was a lordship of the houses of Guzmán and Zúñiga, and in 1521 Charles V raised it to a marquisate. Sailors went from it, such as Rodrigo de Jerez, who sailed on the Santa María in 1492, and in 1664 Philip IV granted it the title of 'muy noble y leal' for its defence of the Portuguese frontier. The earthquake of 1755 brought down the bell tower of El Salvador and parts of the Merced convent, which still stands.

What to see today

Iglesia de la Merced (Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced): Church, c. 1640 to 1700

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