From the early 17th century to the Spanish Civil War, the town was often fought over, due to its strategic situation between the Ebro and the coastal plain of Valencia.

Prehistoric remains in the area include cave paintings in Galeria del Roure [ca], in Morella la Vella, famous for the oldest known depiction of archery combat.

[5] The ancient Greeks established a treasury at Morella, but then the area became the scene of conflict between the Carthaginians and the Roman Empire during the Punic Wars.

El Cid is reputed to have rebuilt the castle which dominates the town and in 1084 he is supposed to have fought in the service of Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud and defeated Sancho Ramírez of Aragon at the Battle of Morella.

Following Blasco's death in 1239, James I of Aragon established a royal garrison in the city and awarded the inhabitants the title of "Faithful".

[6] Morella sided with Philip V during the War of the Spanish Succession in the early eighteenth century and became the centre of a military and political district.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the citizens rose up against the invading forces and the town was finally captured for Spain in 1813 by Francisco Javier de Elío.

[8][9] In the 1960s and 70s many people left the town for work opportunities in the cities and many of the local small industries died, but a slow revitalization has taken place since the transition of Spain to democracy.

It is said that the plague disappeared from the city and, to remember this, every six years the Sexenni festival takes place for nine days in late August.

Morella has an Oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) highly influenced by its altitude around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and its well inland location, with warm summers and cool winters (cold for Spanish standards) with frequent frosts and snow.