Learn about the legend of Comte Mal of Mallorca
Mallorca is not exempt from legends whose protagonists are remembered for their wicked deeds through the centuries. Comte Mal (the Evil Count) is one such legend, closely associated with the Galatzó mountain.
The villages nestled on its slopes, such as Andratx and Puigpunyent, say that during full moon nights, you can hear the screams of the malevolent count, who roams on a black horse enveloped in flames, seeking to atone for his sins.
Another legend about the count speaks of his obsession with a Clarisse nun named Margarita. The nun lived in the convent of Palma, and right next door was one of the count's manor houses. The Can Formiguera Palace had a very tall tower, and idle tongues say that one night, the devil made the tower grow so that the nobleman could spy on his beloved.
A variation of the same legend speaks of an underground passage connecting the palace to the convent.
The Truth about Ramón Burgués-Safortesa Pasc-Fuster de Villalonha i Nét
Behind this lengthy name lies the identity of Comte Mal, the second Count of Santa María de Formiguera (1627-1694). He was the lord of Santa Margalida, Hero, Alcudiola, Puigblanc, Casteller, and Tanca, as well as the Galatzó estate in Calviá.
At the age of twelve, the young boy lost his father, the original count, but inherited numerous problems. First, he believed he had the right to levy a tribute on the lands of Santa Margarita based on royal concessions in his favor.
The other issue was the demand to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction over the inhabitants of his lands, the majority of whom were villagers.
The count and his men committed all kinds of atrocities against the villagers: fights, deaths, injuries, abuses of authority, and the fear he instilled by his name likely contributed to the legend of Comte Mal.
The climax of Ramón Burgués-Safortesa's story came on November 24, 1647, when the count sent two servants to assassinate the syndic of Santa Margarita, Baltasar Calafat, using arquebuses, firearms like rifles. This occurred in front of Calafat's house in Palma, very close to the convent of San Francisco.
After committing the heinous crime, the count and his henchmen galloped toward Santa Margarita. But Baltasar Calafat was mortally wounded but still alive, and he could explain to the Viceroy who the perpetrators of his murder were.
The Beginning of the Legend
The Evil Count, as he was already known, stayed with his servants in Santa Margarita for only one day because, with the accusation against him known, he fled to his Galatzó estate, where his mother resided.
The result of the conflict was a judgment from the Supreme Council of Aragon that sided with the people of Santa Margarita, depriving the count of the right to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction over the town.
Furthermore, the Council of the Military Orders ordered the count to pay 500 ducats and forbade him from returning to Santa Margarita for instigating the assassination of Baltasar Calafat.
The story goes that the count sought redemption, dedicated himself to the service of His Majesty, formed several military companies, and even became the procurator of Mallorca. Nevertheless, the legend of Comte Mal had already taken root and is still told on dark nights, to frighten increasingly skeptical children.
