HISTORY
The earliest known data about human presence in these lands dates back to the Neolithic era (9,000–7,000 BC). Its peculiarity and strategic location have always made it a centre of attraction. The remains of ancient cultures found here bear witness to this, such as the polished axes from the Neolithic period found at the La Centena estate and preserved in the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Granada.
Ceramic fragments of notable interest from the Late Bronze Age (1,900–1,800 BC) have been found in the settlements of Cueva del Patio, Molino de las Cuartillas and Cortijo de Fúñez. Later, as a Roman colony, it belonged to the ancient region of Bética, which extended from the 'Murgitano boundary', to the west of Almería, to the Sierra Nevada. The settlement continued during the Spanish-Gothic period, as evidenced by late Roman remains in the vicinity of Castillo de Juliana.
However, it was under Arab rule that La Alpujarra established itself as a place of note. Since 1347, the Murtas farmhouse has been part of the Nazarite Taha of Sahil, under the reign of the Granada emir Yusuf. Following the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs, the Moorish population resisted Christian advances, leading an uprising under Aben Humeya's command. This rebellion resulted in the expulsion of the rebels and the subsequent depopulation of the area. During this period, Murtas and its dependencies of Mecina, Tedel, Cojáyar, Dietar and El Pino were fully integrated into the complex social, military and religious organisation. The aforementioned Castillo de Juliana was probably rebuilt by the Mozarabs of the area on the site of a previous fortress to help solve their defence problems. In 1823, during the reign of Fernando VII, Murtas became the headquarters of the General Military Academy.
Following Fernando VII's sudden turn to absolutism, an army corps was sent from France under the command of the Duke of Angoulême, known as the 'One Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis', to support the monarch amid the country's wave of liberation. Fearing that this incursion from France would become a second invasion of Spain, the Military School looked for a safer, more secluded location and chose Murtas. In 1824, this centre was reorganised under the name General Military College, and in June 1825 it moved to Segovia. Murtas shares the honour of having hosted this prestigious military school with Seville, San Fernando, Granada, Segovia, Madrid, Toledo and Zaragoza.
In 1937, Murtas became part of the CECA (the Association of Savings Banks and Banks Created by Them) by issuing its own currency. Due to communication difficulties and a shortage of circulating money during the Spanish Civil War, the Municipal Council issued its own currency with values of 0.50 and 1 peseta. These were refundable coins backed by Bank of Spain banknotes. The issue was carried out at the Lacoste Printing Office in Almería, but the amount issued is unknown. This currency remained in circulation until the end of the Spanish Civil War