History Of Lanzarote

The Canary Island of Lanzarote, in the easternmost corner of the region, owes much of its geographic development to major volcanic activity during the 18th century. Indeed the island as we know it today still bears the scars of the mighty eruptions, which lasted some six years, in the distinctive rock formations that cover a large part of its surface.

Early Phoenician and Romans

Details of Lanzarote’s early history are a little sketchy although it’s believed that the Phoenicians arrived and formed settlements on the island as early as 1100 BC. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Romans also moved in; however, the island was abandoned until 999 AD when the Arabs arrived and formed their own settlements.

From Arab to Iberian rule

The island’s most significant historic events began in the 14th century with the arrival of Lancelotto Malocello from Lisbon, who in 1336 formed a settlement and introduced the island to the European powers of the day. Less than a century later in 1402, explorer Juan de Béthencourt arrived via a private expedition under the crown of Enrique III of Castilla. He was welcomed by the island’s ruler of the time, King Guardarfia of the Guanches, who permitted him and his men to make their home on the beaches. However, Béthencourt’s intentions were far from honourable and leaving his right-hand man Gadifer de la Salle in charge, he returned to Spain to amass troops with which he came back and began his conquest of the island under the support of Enrique III.

The great eruption

Spain’s control over the island in the coming years was not without challenge and the island became something of a target for pirates. Indeed, in the 17th century, a pirate attack saw some 1,000 of the island’s inhabitants forced into slavery. In 1730, a major volcanic eruption shook the island, covering a quarter of its total surface with lava and destroying villages and fertile lands in the process. Later in the same century, a drought forced many of the island’s inhabitants to emigrate to Cuba and the Americas.

In 1824, another volcanic eruption shook Lanzarote, but it was small compared with the previous eruption and damage was considerably less. In 1927, both Lanzarote and the island of Fuerteventura became part of the province of Las Palmas.