• Getting about

    Getting about

    Back
    • Rentals
    • Taxi services
    • Bus services
    • Park areas
  • Stays
  • Eat
  • Sea

    Sea

    Back
    • Beaches
    • Bathing establishments
    • Diving centers
    • Sailing
  • Guided excursions
  • Sports
  • Places to see
  • Special offers
  • Last minute offers
  • Ferries
Infoelba
  • Get to Elba
    • How to get there Getting to the Island of Elba
    • Ferries The shipping companies that connect the island
    • Getting about on the island Public transport and taxis
    • Hire Car, motorbike and boat hire/rental
  • Stay
    • Accommodation that is open all year round Booking a holiday farm centre, hotel or B&B all open in winter too
    • Hotels Hotels to meet all needs
    • Residences For an independent holiday
    • Bed & Breakfasts Always ready to discover the island
    • Apartments Feeling at home in Elba
    • Small villas and detached houses For an autonomous holiday
    • Villas Surrounded by luxury and relaxation
    • Farm holiday centres Nature and flavours everywhere
    • Campsites Socializing and having a good time surrounded by nature
    • Camper and caravan Parking, water tank and facility areas
    • Farm holiday campsites An open air holiday
    • Luxury accommodation For a dream vacation
    • Tourist agencies and realtors Let your holiday be organised for you
  • Eat
    • Restaurants and Pizzerias Typical sea, home or more refined cuisine
    • Food & Wine Experience Experiences of gastronomy and wine tasting
    • Local recipes The best dishes of the Elba cuisine
    • Wines Aleatico, Moscato and Ansonica: Elba wines
    • Herbs and typical products Honey, beer, oil, wild and aromatic plants
    • Typical dishes History and origins of Elba dishes
  • Useful information
    • ElbaOK Insurance The anti Covid-19 policy and much more
    • Useful phone numbers and addresses Public and emergency utilities
    • Weather Temperatures and weather forecast
    • Webcams A window always open on the Elbe
    • Apps for your smartphone Elba on your mobile
  • Visit Elba
    • Beaches and coasts A different beach each day
    • Places to see Museums, ancient monuments, breathtaking views
    • Tuscan Archipelago National Park Seven pearls rising up from the sea
    • Guided excursions Letting others take you round the island
    • Useful advice What to do if...
    • Maps of the Island of Elba The Island in the palm of your hand
    • I am... Elba just as it suits you
    • Recommended itineraries What can we go and see today?
  • Sports and free time
    • Water sports Scuba diving, going snorkelling, fishing, sailing
    • Land sports Cycling, trekking, free climbing!
    • Elba not to be missed The unmissable experiences to do on holiday
    • Outdoor sports Elba: A paradise for lovers of outdoor sports
    • Enjoyment and relaxation Night life, cinemas and much more
    • Courses and study trips Learn while you have fun
    • Shopping Scents, colors and flavors of Elba
    • Special events and exhibitions What shall we do this evening?
  • Discovering Elba
    • How many beaches are there in Elba? 126 beaches of 1000 colours
    • Paths and tracksin Elba 1000 paths to live the island to the full
    • Elba in winter Making the most of Elba all year round
    • Interesting facts A different Elba
    • History of Elba Historical notes concerning Elba and its origins
    • Geology of Elba Geological origins of the Island of Elba
    • Towns of Elba Administration of Elba and its eight Communes
    • Media Gallery Live and feel Elba through photographs
  • Webcams
Infoelba - Dove natura è vacanza
  • 0

The Spaniards on the island of Elba

  • Looking for accommodation
  • Accommodation price and availability
  • Last minute booking
  • Offers
  • Ferry tickets
  • Real estate ads
  1. Island of Elba
  2. Discovering Elba
  3. History of Elba
  4. The Spaniards

The Spaniards ruled over the eastern part of Elba for 150 years

Spain too was keen on having an outpost near the centre of the Mediterranean, and in 1603 Philip III of Spain succeeds in seizing the natural inlet of Longone (Porto Azzurro), and starts having a fortress built based on the drawings of Garcia di Toledo who used the Hanseatic port of Anversa as his model.

For almost 150 years the Spanish garrison was established there. In 1646, after conquering Piombino, three thousand infantrymen and three hundred horsemen landed in Elba and seized Rio, the fortress of Giogo, and then Longone; France too was keen to set up a stronghold and conquer Italy.

The Spaniards were outnumbered and had to surrender, although years later, lead by Don Juan, Philip IV's son, they did manage to get their 4 dominions back.

Pirate attacks however still contunued from the sea, so partly for this reason, and partly because they wanted to defend themselves from the French, the Spaniards decided to have another fortress built in the bay of Longone: Forte Focardo (1659). Standing opposite the fortress in Longone made it almost impossible to enter the bay. After the turbulence of what was happening more or less all over Europe, we get to the year 1708, when the Austrian troops, who in the meantime had allied with the Spaniards against the French, land in Rio, which was still under the Spaniards.

Unaware of this alliance, the Spaniards put up a fight, above all in Longone and Capoliveri for at least 4 months, then using several strategic manoeuvres finally managed to force the Germans to retreat. The Spaniard Pinel accused the locals of abetment and gave orders for the walls, that had up till then surrounded Capoliveri, to be destroyed; both the fortresses of Giogo and Marciana were damaged, as were several others, and due to complaints in Madrid on behalf of the Elbans, Pinel was cashiered.

In 1713 Cosimo III's heir Ferdinando died. Following the Grand Duke Gian Gastone's orders, the fortress of S.Giovanni Battista near Portoferraio is knocked down for fear of it falling into enemy hands and thus becoming a serious threat to Cosmopoli. In 1738, since Carlo Borbone had no male heirs, Gian Gastone's successor is the son of Elisabetta Farnense and Philip V of Spain; due to a political agreement Elba however is passed on to the German Francis of Asburgo.

Several years later his second son Pietro Leopoldo takes his place; in the beginning he wanted to hand Portoferraio over to the English, but then started to consider his dominion on Elba very important so not only did he have the lighthouse in Portoferraio built, he also made mercantile development easier.

In the summer of 1796, with the excuse of defending them from the French, the English are given permission by the Grand Duke governor to land in Elba; due to the fact that they outnumbered the population, as well as having better weapons, the island becomes a British stronghold.

The Grand Duke Ferdinand complained so much that in April 1797 the English had to leave the Island. In the meantime, one by one, France had sent the Italian rulers away; in 1799, despite strong opposition, Elba too became a French republic.

Request a free quote 0 My choice
ElbaOk

Ensure your holidays with ElbaOK: the first insurance policy against any unexpected outcomes caused by the Coronavirus emergency, and much more.

Read more

Further reading

Fort LongoneFort FocardoMonserrato SanctuaryEnglish Fort

Accommodation on the Island of Elba

Apartaments 204 Small villas and detached houses 14 Bed & breakfast 16 Hotels 77 Villas 5 Residences 44 Farm holiday centres 13 Campsites 19 Farm holiday campsites 1 Travel agencies 11 Estate agencies 1
  • Get to Elba
  • How to get there
  • Ferries
  • Getting about on the island
  • Hire
  • Stay
  • Accommodation that is open all year round
  • Hotels
  • Residences
  • Bed & Breakfasts
  • Apartments
  • Small villas and detached houses
  • Villas
  • Farm holiday centres
  • Campsites
  • Camper and caravan
  • Farm holiday campsites
  • Luxury accommodation
  • Tourist agencies and realtors
  • Eat
  • Restaurants and Pizzerias
  • Food & Wine Experience
  • Local recipes
  • Wines
  • Herbs and typical products
  • Typical dishes
  • Useful information
  • ElbaOK Insurance
  • Useful phone numbers and addresses
  • Weather
  • Webcams
  • Apps for your smartphone
  • Visit Elba
  • Beaches and coasts
  • Places to see
  • Tuscan Archipelago National Park
  • Guided excursions
  • Useful advice
  • Maps of the Island of Elba
  • I am...
  • Recommended itineraries
  • Sports and free time
  • Water sports
  • Land sports
  • Elba not to be missed
  • Outdoor sports
  • Enjoyment and relaxation
  • Courses and study trips
  • Shopping
  • Special events and exhibitions
  • Discovering Elba
  • How many beaches are there in Elba?
  • Paths and tracksin Elba
  • Elba in winter
  • Interesting facts
  • History of Elba
  • Geology of Elba
  • Towns of Elba
  • Media Gallery
  • Webcams

Infoelba non si assume alcuna responsabilità per l'uso di marchi e slogan usati dagli inserzionisti e per eventuali errate indicazioni.

Informa inoltre che i listini prezzi, orari, date o altro materiale informativo pubblicato su questo sito è suscettibile a variazioni.

:: Siete quindi invitati a chiedere conferma alle strutture interessate ::

Infoelba

©1999-2023 Infoelba s.r.l. Unipersonale - Viale Teseo Tesei, 12 - Centro Servizi Il Molino - 57037 Portoferraio (LI)

P. IVA e C.F. 01130150491 - capitale sociale €10.000,00 i.v. - registro imprese numero 01130150491 - REA: LI - 100635

infoelba® it is a registered trademark - all rights reserved - Accesso all'area riservata - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy