Negra (Blanca) 1300

14th Century

The name of the first mayor, in documents found in 1303, is García Bizcarra, as commander of the castle of Negra during the war between Todmir  (the former name of the province of Murcia) and Valencië. This war raged between 1296 and 1304 and the castle of Negra played an  important role at that time.

This King left his wife after three days in the lurch and lived with his beloved María de Padilla. His stepbrother Fadrique, as Master of the Order of Santiago, defended Queen Blanche of Bourbon in the civil war. However, in 1358 Peter the Cruel gave instructions to kill Fadrique in Sevilla.  They also killed the commander of Ricote who fought together with Fadrique for the rights of Queen Blanche of Bourbon. Between 1354 and 1358 Fadrique stayed occasionally in the Ricote Valley, and it seems that the name of Negra changed to that of Blanca as a tribute to Queen Blanche of Bourbon for whom the Orden de Santiago fought for years.

The last time the name of Negra is stated in a document is in the year 1315. The change of the name Negra to Blanca probably took place between the years 1353 and 1362 by the influence of Dona Blanca de Borbón, Queen of Castile, who married in 1353 King Pedro I of Castile.

Fadrique, Master of the Order of Santiago

and Blanca de Borbón, queen of Castile

                                                            Painting of Luis Molina (Blanca)

In 1382 Blanca appeared for the first time under the name of Blanca. The Advancer (Counselor) of the Kingdom of Murcia, Martin Alonso de Valdivieso, required the freedom of a Moor from Blanca who was captured upon request of a Jew of Elche. (3).