Century XVIII. The castles
As of year 1600, the habitat of the region was completely formed by the assaults of beréberes and pirates from the coast, by sources and frequent earthquakes, plagues of lobster, plague and the immense flocks (up to 600,000 heads of cattle) of the cattle oligarchies of Granada and Baza (the Mesta, Heiress of the nazaríes routes of trashumancia) that came to pastar to the region collaborating in the desertización of the landscape.
In the middle of s. XVIII Carlos III promulgates the Regulation of defense of the coast. They existed, from the expulsion of the moriscos, forts (San Pedro and Santiago in Rodalquilar) that counted on trimming and several towers that, neglected by uncertain, did not serve to stabilize the region.

Before finalizing the century, new ones are recovered and constructed other, like the castle of San Felipe in the Escullos (1771); the one of San jOse, of which today only they are left the foundations; San Ramon, in the Playazo de Rodalquilar, and San Francisco de Paula, in Cabo de Gata (dismantled). Until this moment the assaults of pirates and disembarkations of African ships had in vilo to the Company of urban military service of Níjar, that took care of from the tower of Roldán Table to the one of White Vela and the Castle of San Francisco de Paula, in Cabo de Gata.

The improvement provided by this system favored the consolation of population centers like Fernán Perez, Well of the Friars, Escullos, Cove Fig tree and the fishermen of the Tunny net of Cabo de Gata, being inaugurated a new system of habitat aj to the inherited model of the Islamic stage.

In the last decade of the century the Marquesado de Campohermoso is created. And until from now on half-full the XIX the cattle ranch and the cerealista dry land, the small property and the dispersion to parcel out appropriated the region, being generated a spectacular increase of the population (6,000 inhabitants in 1840). The marsh of Isabel II (1850), megalítica builds hydraulics inaugurated by the queen, who was obsolete suddenly, marked the transition of the agricultural life the miner in the region.