Cabrillas (Salamanca)

Cabrillas is a Spanish municipality and town in the province of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León. It is integrated into the Ciudad Rodrigo region and the Campo de Yeltes sub-region, which is part of the immense Campo Charro plain.

Its municipal area is made up of a single population center, it occupies a total area of 24.85 km² and according to the demographic data collected in the municipal register prepared by the INE in 2017, it has a population of 395 inhabitants.

Toponymy

The place name "Cabrillas" It derives from the name Cabrelas with which the town appears for the first time, in a document of King Ferdinand II of León dated December 1173, which established the limits between the dioceses of Ciudad Rodrigo and Salamanca. Likewise, two ecclesiastical documents from January 1174, which confirm the limits indicated by the monarch, include the town with the name of Cabreias and Caprejas. Later, in October 1265, a bull from Pope Clement IV on a matter of tithes listed the town as Cabrellas.

Symbols

Shield

The heraldic shield that represents the municipality was approved with the following coat of arms:

"Rectilinear on the head and flanks, it is curved on the tip. The shield is divided into four barracks. The upper left barracks (right as seen) of gold with seven stars in sugar. The top right quarter (left as seen) of silver, with natural oak and in its color. The lower left quarter (right as seen) banding of five pieces of sugar and four pieces of silver. The lower right barracks (left as seen) of siple colour with spikes of natural wheat and in its color"

Flag

The city council has not yet adopted a flag for the municipality.

Geography

Map of the municipality

---

Interactive map — Cabrillas (Salamanca) and its municipality

Climate

The climate is continental Mediterranean, with cold, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The rains are more abundant in autumn and spring, and in winter fog and night frosts are also common, with temperatures down to –10 °C. Snowfalls are not frequent (1-5 a year). Summers are dry and during the central hours of the day temperatures can exceed 35 °C, although it cools down at night. The average annual rainfall is 400 to 500 mm.

History

Although it has been theorized that its population origins go back to the vettones, the first documented signs of human presence in the municipality date back to the Romans. Later, in the Middle Ages, it became part of the Kingdom of León between the 11th and 12th centuries, when the current town was founded, which was integrated into the Bishopric of Ciudad Rodrigo in 1174 by order of King Ferdinand II of León. In the Late Middle Ages, the Señorío de Cabrillas was created at the end of the XIV century, with Pedro de Anaya being the first Lord of Cabrillas. Later, at the end of the XVIII century, the provincial division of Floridablanca was made, leaving Cabrillas attached to the province of Salamanca and the Kingdom de León, which was confirmed in 1833 with the creation of the current provinces. Meanwhile, in the War of Independence French troops occupied and looted the town. On the other hand, in 1894 Alfonso XIII raised the Señorío de Cabrillas to the category of county, thus creating the County of Cabrillas, whose first owner was Luis María de Carvajal.

Cabrillas County

Consistorial house.

The County of Cabrillas is a Spanish noble title created on April 30, 1894 by King Alfonso XIII, during his minority, his mother, Queen María Cristina de Habsburgo Lorena being regent, in favor of Luis María de Carvajal and Melgarejo, III Duke of Aveyro, etc. The title was granted in memory of an old manor of his family. Its name refers to the municipality of Cabrillas, province of Salamanca.

• Luis María de Carvajal y Melgarejo (1871-1937), I conde de Cabrillas, III duque de Aveyro, (for rehabilitation in his favor in 1917), XII marquis de Puerto Seguro, XI marquis de Goubea, XII count of Portalegre (for rehabilitation in his favor in 1917), XV count of Bailén.

1. Casó con María del Carmen Santos-Suárez y Guillamas, VI marquesa de las Nieves, hija de María del Pilar Guillamas y Piñeyro. His daughter succeeded him:

• María Luisa de Carvajal y Santos-Suárez, II Countess of Cabrillas.

1. Casó con Isidro Castillejo y Wall (1897-1970), VIII duke of Montealegre, (for rehabilitation, in 1927, in his favor, with this denomination of the old duke of Angio de Montealegre), XIV count of the Arenales, X count of Villa Amena de Cozbíjar. It happened to him, of his son John the Baptist of Castillejo and Carvajal, IX Duke of Montealegre, XI count of Villa Amena de Cozbíjar, who married María de los Dolores Bermúdez de Castro and Collantes, the son of both, therefore his grandson:

• Juan Luis de Castillejo and Bermúdez de Castro, III count of Cabrillas.

1. He fell with Isabel Muñoz and Ozores of Urcuola.

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of Cabrillas between 1900 and 2022

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, Cabrillas had, as of December 31, 2018, a total population of 383 inhabitants, of whom 195 were men and 188 women. Regarding the year 2000, the census reflects 538 inhabitants, of which 225 were men and 283 women. Therefore, the loss of population in the municipality for the period 2000-2018 has been 155 inhabitants, a 28% decrease.

Economy

It is located 11 kilometers away from two of the main provincial nuclei (Tamames and La Fuente de San Esteban). The main economic activities are agriculture and livestock, the first rainfed, predominantly cereal (wheat, barley and oats) and the second extensive.

It has a public school, a pharmacy, a daily medical center, grocery stores and a supermarket, metal carpentry and car repair workshops, hotel services, etc.

Culture

People from Salamanca are also known as charros and the surrounding countryside is called Campo Charro. The Campo Charro bulls are called salamanquinos and this term is considered an insult when used with a person. A popular accessory for men's capes and charro dress is the charro button.

Parties

It celebrates its main festivities on May 15 in honor of San Isidro Labrador and its secondary festivities on January 17 in honor of San Antonio Abad, which shows the marked agricultural and livestock character that has always permeated this municipality.

The celebration of Holy Week is very traditional, with more than seven centuries of existence and notable and artistic processional steps by authors such as Luis Salvador Carmona, Alejandro Carnicero, Inocencio Soriano Montagut, Mariano Benlliure or Damián Villar.

On Water Monday (the Monday after Easter Monday) it is traditional to go out into the countryside to eat hornazo. This tradition occurs throughout the province, although outside the capital the hornazo is eaten on Easter Sunday or Monday.

Administration and politics

Municipal elections