[2] King Henry III of Castile ordered the building of a small castle in 1406, on Mount El Pardo, because of its abundant game.

In the 1540s, on the orders of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, it was transformed into a palace by the architect Luis de Vega, who built a small, traditional alcázar with a moat.

[3] King Charles III of Spain renovated the building in the 18th century, appointing his architect Francesco Sabatini to undertake the job and add additional courtyards.

In 1739 the palace hosted talks between the governments of Great Britain and Spain, who eventually agreed to the Convention of Pardo in a bid to avert a war.

Dictator Francisco Franco commandeered the palace as his residence after the Spanish Civil War and lived there until his death.