There are few direct references to historical events as well as the different occupations in the area. Although the area was the territory of Olcades, Lobetans, Celtiberians and other pre-Roman peoples, whether they were all ethnicities of the Celtiberians or from different cultures.[27].
From the time of the Second Punic War, century BC. C., the Romans invade the territory and settle permanently in the area, as indicated by the ruins of the important municipium of Valeria "Valeria (Roman city)"), although there is no archaeological or written vestige about settlements in what is now Olmeda del Rey, except for the Fuente del Chorrillo, on the outskirts of the municipality, which has been the subject of speculation about its Roman origin, not without controversy.[28].
Regarding this period we find that Flórez makes a mention of a possible settlement of "the ancients" (way of referring to the Romans) to defend the position of Valeria "Valeria (Roman city)") in his book Sacred Spain, where he explains the visible remains on the gorge of the Gritos river of the settlement from the century BC. C.[29] In any case it is collateral and without further documentation or reference.
According to most sources, it was founded during the Christian settlement after the capture of Alarcón "Alarcón (Spain)") at the end of the century. Although all municipal archives were destroyed by a fire caused by English soldiers participating in the War of Succession to the Throne of Charles II in 1706,[30] which makes a reconstruction of contemporary history difficult, except for external references from studies of the capital, Cuenca, or other nearby towns.
It would be from that time a castle located on the San Pedro hill.
In 1587 it received the name Olmeda de las Valeras to distinguish it from other towns of the same name.
In the following works quotes we talk about the Lord of Olmeda de la Valeras:
Juan Pablo Mártir Rizo, in 1629, already mentions:
Juan Pablo Mártir Rizo, in 1629, already mentions the existence of a lord from Olmeda de las Valeras[31] independent of others.
The fence of the Marquis de las Valeras was maintained until 1827, when the town denounced it and won the dispute on August 24 of that year. [33] As a result of this, it was when it requested and obtained a name change, becoming called Olmeda del Rey.
In the middle of the century, the place had a population of 777 inhabitants.[34] The town is described in the twelfth volume of the Geographical-statistical-historical dictionary of Spain and its overseas possessions by Pascual Madoz as follows:
In the century and until the arrival of the Second Republic there was a period of population stability where no relevant event stood out.
The municipal elections of April 1931 that led to the Second Spanish Republic were annulled in 115 towns in the province of Cuenca, among them Olmeda del Rey, and elections were held on May 31 of the same year, with the results (it can be seen in the table that the vote was not with closed lists, hence the inconsistency in the partials and totals) being a victory for the right:[35].
As in the rest of the province, the right considered that the victory in Cuenca was significant and the last bastion of the Catholic Church and its parties.
With the beginning of the Civil War, the town remains on the side loyal to the Republic and altercations occur such as the destruction of the church, the shooting of the images that were in it and the conversion of the premises into a garage.[37].
After the Civil War and the Second World War, the depopulation of the Spanish countryside began, becoming a massive emigration to the cities in the 1960s and leaving the town and its municipality on the path that would lead to almost abandonment in the first decade of the century. Since the end of the century, the town recovers its number of inhabitants during vacation times with the temporary return of the natives and their descendants.[38].
In 1974 Olmeda del Rey merged with Chumillas, Almodóvar del Pinar, Solera de Gabaldón and Monteagudo de las Salinas, acquiring the new name of Almodóvar de Monterrey. This union is carried out due to economic problems for the basic financing required. They were segregated in 1983, according to RD 152/1983 published in the BOCM dated October 6, 1983, remaining with their previous names. The segregation occurred, according to Rubio (2003), due to disagreements between the different mayors.