Lezuza

Lezuza lies in the Campo de Montiel, among the plains and low uplands of southeastern Castile. Beside the settlement, the Cerro del Castillo preserves remains of Libisosa, an Iberian centre that became a Roman colony. Its position near an important junction helped connect the peninsula's interior with the southeast.

After the Castilian conquest of Alcaraz in 1213, Lezuza belonged to its extensive rural district. The hill later held a tower and a religious and military complex. In 1411 Alcaraz offered relief from tribute to people willing to settle beside the tower, seeking to increase the local population. Lezuza remained dependent on Alcaraz until 1553, when Charles I granted it the status of a villa. Fields and livestock formed part of the economy of the surrounding countryside.