Kingdom of Valencia

The Kingdom of Valencia, on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula was a part of the crown of Aragon. As these with dynastic agents formed the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Castile, the Kingdom of Valencia became a part of the Spanish monarchy.

The Kingdom of Valencia was created in 1237, as the Moorish taifa kingdom of Valencia was conquered during the Reconquista. 1707 it was resolved in the course of the Spanish War of Succession by the Nueva Planta Decrees of King Philip V..

In the centuries of its existence, the kingdom was governed on the basis set out in the Furs de Valencia laws and institutions created by the country retained a large degree of autonomy. The limits and the identity of today's Autonomous Community of Valencia Comunitat are based largely on the old Kingdom of Valencia.

The Conquest

The conquest of the later Kingdom of Valencia began in 1232, when King James I of Aragon ( Jaume I el Conqueridor ) Morella predominantly Aragonese conquered by troops. A little later, in 1233, Burriana and Peniscola were the Taifa Balansiya (Valencia in Arabic ) is also taken away.

A second and much more important wave of conquest began in 1237, when James I defeated the forces of the Taifa Balansiya. He entered the city of Valencia on October 9, 1237 and this date is today regarded as the birthday of the Kingdom of Valencia.

A third phase of the conquest took place 1243-1245, then, assumptions about the boundaries that had been the wise agreed between James I and the heir to the Castilian throne, Alfons in the Treaty of Almizra shape. With this phase, the Reconquista was complete then for the Crown of Aragon, as all areas further south and west in the remained Castile reserved.

The Mudejar population majority was overrun by the conquerors, and was allowed to stay in her home until she was in 1609, ie more than 350 years later, sold. But now it was important to maintain the country's economy, although they were simultaneously considered a threat to the stability of the kingdom. In fact, often revolts broke out against the Christian rule, the main under the leadership of Mohammad Abu Abdallah Ben al Hudzail Sahuir, called Al- Azraq ( " the blue-eyed " ), 1244, 1248 and 1276, the short time for the area south of the Júcar gained independence, but was finally subjected.

King James II the Just, a grandson of James I, 1296 exceeded the established by the Treaty of Almizra border and conquered the fertile lands of Murcia, Orihuela and the Vega Baja del Segura, whose local rulers were allied with Castile. The boundaries between Castile and the Crown of Aragon were finally revised in 1304 by the Treaty of Torrellas ( Sentencia Arbitral de Torrellas ) and 1305 by the Treaty of Elche, by the Orihuela, Alicante and Elche the Kingdom of Valencia were slammed, Murcia, however Castile.

After the conquest of four taifas had disappeared from the map: Balansiya, Alpuente, Denia and Murcia.

Taking possession

Modern research looks -like should be like in the Crown of Castile as the conquest of Valencia battle of the Kingdom to a new country to be free of claims of the nobility. The new territories should belong to the king, who by his power against the nobility enlarged and provided protection. Were organized Aragonese nobles owned in conquered territory, but only in the sparsely populated and mountainous hinterland. The fertile and densely populated coastal plain, the king kept back for himself.

This scheme has linguistic consequences until today:

• The coast was largely settled by colonists who spoke Catalan; this language became the Valencian.

The heyday

The Kingdom of Valencia in the 15th century had its heyday on the basis of trade, was controlled more and more by the Crown of Aragon with the base ports of Barcelona and Valencia in the Mediterranean. In Valencia, which was " Taula de canvis " opened, in part as a bank, in part, a stock exchange. Perhaps the most important monument of this period is the Silk Exchange Llotja de la Seda, one of the major trading centers in the Mediterranean in the 16th century and one of the best examples of civil Gothic architecture in Europe. Valencia was one of the first cities in Europe, where the letterpress collection held ( pressure in Valencia the first printed in the Iberian Peninsula book). Authors such as Joanot Martorell and Ausiàs March are the main writers of this time.

The decline

The Kingdom of Valencia in 1479 with the unification of Aragon and Castile was a part of Spain. The Habsburg kings (1516-1700) confirmed the privileges and liberties of their country, the administrative structures remained intact. The decline began with the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 ( Alhambra Decree ), continued, as the New Kingdom more focused on the overseas colonies, and culminated, as the rise of the Ottoman Empire and piracy in the western Mediterranean ( Khair ad -Din Barbarossa, Turgutreis ) Mediterranean trade brought almost to a standstill: Valencia lost its status as a European economic center of the cities of northern and central Europe.

1521 were discharged by the economic crisis pent-up social tensions in the Rebelión de las Germania or revolt de les Germanies, a revolt by artisan guilds against the nobility and the bourgeoisie, after their defeat of the king was able to extend his power in Valencia. The expulsion of the Mudejar part of the population in 1609 by the Spanish Inquisition was the final blow that brought the Valencian economy definitive halt. Thousands Displaced meant that entire villages were abandoned and agriculture lost its workers.

The end of the Kingdom of Valencia in 1707 came as a result of the Spanish War of Succession. The population had mostly supported the Habsburg pretender. After the battle of Almansa and the victory of the Bourbons, the new King Philip V abolished the old structures and created a centralized monarchy.