Early Middle Ages

The founding of Guadalajara, dating from the Islamic period, is attributed to a person named "Faray". It was officially known as Madinat al-Faray in the 9th and 10th centuries. The town was later known as Wadi Al-Hijara , possibly meaning "Valley of Stones" (as in river gravel); in theory it may be a literal translation of the Iberian name Arriaca. It has also been proposed that Hajara should not be understood as 'stones'/'gravel', but in the sense of 'castles' or 'fortified