El Rompido. Founding of Cartaya During the 15th and 16th centuries, the territory of Cartaya came under the rule of the house of Zuñiga. Against the opposition of Alfonso de Guzmán, lord of Ayamonte and Lepe, Don Pedro de Zuñiga y Manrique de Lara won the right to establish a ferry across the river Piedra. In doing so, he founded the town of Cartaya to defend the crossing against attacks by Berber and Norman pirates. Seven years later, he gave the town greater permanence by ordering the construction of a castle and a church. The original church was built in the Mudéjar style; it was later replaced by the present parish chuch of San Pedro. The imposing castle, however, still stands on the western edge of the town. The house of Zuñiga consolidated its power in lower Andalusia through Don Pedro's descendant, Álvaro de Zúñiga. His eldest son acquired the neighboring territories of Lepe and La Redondela by marriage to the daughter of Juan Alfonso de Guzmán III of Ayamonte. Cartaya's port of La Ribera soon became important. By 1509, ships from Cartaya were fishing in Cape Spartel and Cape Bojador to supply fish for Seville. Transport ships were travelling as far afield as Flanders to engage in cabotage and commerce, including the wine and grain trades. Although the local shipyards were building caravels as early as the 15th century, this industry never grew to national importance. This was partly because of the perceived poor quality of the local wood, which led ships from the Gulf of Cádiz to be banned from sailing to the Americas. Cartaya never became as important to Spain's maritime empire as some nearby towns, such as Palos de la Frontera or Moguer. Nevertheless, her sailors took part in the famous voyages of Christopher Columbus. Records list the local names Talafar, Vizcaino and Alonso Rodríguez on board the first voyage of Columbus. The same three appear to have returned on the Second Columbian expedition, where they are named as Rodrigo Calafar (aboard the caravel La Niña), Alonso Rodríguez (sailing on the San Juan), and Juan Vizcaíno (on the Cardera). Modern era In the early modern era, the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy founded a convent in the area, as it had in other places nearby. Despite this, the local population seems to have declined. Some villages, such as San Miguel de Arca de