THE LEGEND OF THE 100 DAMSELS

To the right of the road lies the area known as Bordel in which there is an old tower or fort. Found here is an old legend known as El tribute de las cien doncellas.

It says that King Mauregato agreed with the Muslims that occupied the Iberian Peninsula that he would give them one hundred damsels each year, half of whom had to be of noble blood and the other half from humble families, with the condition that the Muslims would not attack his kingdom. The young girls were imprisoned in the tower of Peito Bordel, before being sent on the river of Betanzos for their forced captivity in the city of Córdoba. This continued for several years until the damsel of a nobleman was selected. According to one version, the father of the girl, that did not want to hand her over, came up with a plan to put an end to the disgraceful tribute. According to other versions it was the five brothers of the girl that came up with the plan. They disguised themselves as women and joined the women that were going to be sent to Cordoba, attacking the Muslims with fig branches, freeing the women and ending the infamous tribute. Another version says that they hid amongst the fig trees attack the kidnappers. For this reason the fig leaf is on the shield of the Figueroa family. This legend also appears in relation to the mythic battle of Clavijo.