Banditry in the Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Cádiz “El Tempranillo, the Andalusian Robin Hood”

The Andalusian bandit who stole from the rich to give to the poor

Banditry can be considered as the piracy of the mountains. The Serranía de Ronda and the Sierra de Cádiz were the places of action of José María el Tempranillo, the most famous of these bandits, in the early18th century. In the mountains and forests, bands of men out of the reach of the law and authority, most of them violent and armed, imposed their will through extortion, robbery and other procedures on their victims, the rich travellers who crossed the sierra. In this way, by challenging those who have or claim power, law and control of resources, banditry simultaneously challenged the economic, social and political order. El Tempranillo often stole from the rich and later helped the poor, and for this reason he was also known as the Andalusian Robin Hood.

When you go hiking around Prado del Rey you can explore the footprints of the bandits while you practice Spanish. You can and see the caves that were the bandits’ refuge where they were inaccessible to law enforcement for a long time.

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