Alcala remained under the jurisdiction of Jorquera until 1364, when king Peter I gave it the privilege of a Government Council, under the royal crown and the state of Villena. It was elevated to the rank of city in 1432 by king John II. After a flourishing period, the conquest of Granada in 1492 stripped Alcala of its strategical importance. The population started to move from the upper hill to the now safer slopes, thus gradually creating the current settlement. The city remained under the marquisses of Villena until the early 16th century, when the centralism introduced by the Catholic Kings started to quench the baronal power, although the marquisate remained in existence until the 19th century. The depopulation of the La Mota hill ended during the Peninsular War against the Napoleonic troops which occupied the fortress from 1810 and 1812, and set the upper city to fire when retreating, causing also the cathedral's roof to crumble down.
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