\b0 Mohammed I, Emir of Cordoba, was the founder of Madrid or, to be more precise, of the fortres
s that was built on the site where the royal palace now stands, between 852 and 886, to serve as an outpost of defense against Christian Toledo.\par
So Madrid - Magerit in Arabic - was born as an agglomeration of houses around a fortress. Between 1083 a
nd 1086, it was conquered by Alfonso VI of Castile. The result was a mixing of the two cultures, Arab and Castilian. Monasteries and churches were built there (the most important was the one dedicated to Saint Isidore, who later became the patron of the
city), and its position persuaded the court of Castile to reside there on an almost regular basis. Over the course of the centuries they transformed the Alcßzar into a genuine palace.\par
Madrid did not become the official capital of the empire until 15
61, under the reign of Philip II. Its population rose from 20,000 to 60,000, and reached 100,000 by the end of the seventeenth century. The fact that it was not made the capital until such a late date explains its curious character of a mixture between a
city and a court residence. This is an appearance that it retained until only a short time ago, in spite of the urban development schemes promoted by Charles III. In fact, the court had a series of villas and palaces - the ôRoyal Placesö - built in the
city or its immediate surroundings, which bestowed a unique appearance on the capital.\par
