Seigneury of Villena
Encyclopedia
The Seigneury of Villena was a feudal state located in southern Spain
, in the kingdom of Castile
. It bordered to the north with Cuenca and to south with the city of Murcia
. The territory was structured in two political centers: the Land of Alarcón
, to the north, and the Land of Chinchilla
to the south. Less central were the towns of Iniesta, the Land of Jorquera
, Hellín
, Tobarra
, Almansa
, Yecla
, Sax
and Villena
, which, despite giving the name to the seigneury, was territorially peripherical. The borders changed with the time, provided the temporary addition of some towns (Villarrobledo
, Lezuza
, Munera
, Jumilla
and Utiel
in the 15th century) and the loss of some other towns.
The Seigneury has a double historical origin. On the one side, the towns and villages of the Land of Jorquera
, Hellín
, Ves
, Tobarra
, Almansa
, Yecla
, Sax
and Villena
were owned by Juan Manuel, Lord of Villena
, so it began to be called the Land of don Manuel. On the other side, the Land of Alarcón and Iniesta belonged to the crown during the 12th and 13th centuries, being incorporated to the seigneury by Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, who had a very wide jurisdiction in his land and made it become a Dukedom and, finally, a Principate.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
. It bordered to the north with Cuenca and to south with the city of Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
. The territory was structured in two political centers: the Land of Alarcón
Alarcón
Alarcón is a municipality in Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 182.- History :In 1177 Ferren Martínez de Ceballos led the Christian forces which captured Alarcón - then an important fortress - from the Almohads...
, to the north, and the Land of Chinchilla
Chinchilla de Monte-Aragón
Chinchilla de Monte-Aragón, more commonly just Chinchilla, is a municipality in the province of Albacete in Castile-La Mancha, in the region of La Mancha Montearagón.-Description:This town is located 15 km from the capital of the province...
to the south. Less central were the towns of Iniesta, the Land of Jorquera
Jorquera
Jorquera is a municipality in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 529.It is located on a spur sided by the Júcar river. The upper side of the hill is sided by 12th century walls built by the Almohads....
, Hellín
Hellín
Hellín is a town and municipality located in the south of the province of Albacete, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. , it has a population of 31,109....
, Tobarra
Tobarra
Tobarra is a municipality in the province of Albacete in Spain, with a population of c. 8,000 as of 2009.The area is famous for its "Moniquí" variety of apricots, its drum processions and its Holy Week observances, declared by the government to be of National Tourist Interest...
, Almansa
Almansa
Almansa is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality borders with Alicante, Valencia and Murcia...
, Yecla
Yecla
Yecla is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the extreme north of the autonomous community of Murcia, located 96 km from the capital of the region, Murcia....
, Sax
Sax
-Places:* Sax, Alicante, a municipality in Spain* Saxmundham, UK - a colloquial short form used in East Suffolk* Sax, a village in the Sennwald municipality in Switzerland-People:* Sax, later "Sax-Hohensax", name a house of barons originally at Hohensax castle...
and Villena
Villena
Villena is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, to the north with the province of Valencia and to the east and south with the province of Alicante. It is the capital of the comarca...
, which, despite giving the name to the seigneury, was territorially peripherical. The borders changed with the time, provided the temporary addition of some towns (Villarrobledo
Villarrobledo
Villarrobledo is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.Villarrobledo has the world's largest area covered by vineyards as well as the world's greatest production of La Mancha wine, called in Spanish Denominación de Origen)...
, Lezuza
Lezuza
Lezuza is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 1,732....
, Munera
Munera
Munera is a town and municipality in the province of Albacete, Spain; part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha....
, Jumilla
Jumilla
Jumilla is a municipality in southeastern Spain. It is located in the province of Murcia, close to the town of Yecla.-Economy:Jumilla is home to the world's largest photovoltaic solar power farm, with an installed peak power capacity of 20 megawatts. The solar farm consists of 120,000 solar...
and Utiel
Utiel
Utiel is a municipality in the comarca of Requena-Utiel in the Valencian Community, Spain.The Shrine of El Remedio is located on top of the Sierra de Utiel range, near Utiel.-External links:*...
in the 15th century) and the loss of some other towns.
The Seigneury has a double historical origin. On the one side, the towns and villages of the Land of Jorquera
Jorquera
Jorquera is a municipality in the province of Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 529.It is located on a spur sided by the Júcar river. The upper side of the hill is sided by 12th century walls built by the Almohads....
, Hellín
Hellín
Hellín is a town and municipality located in the south of the province of Albacete, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. , it has a population of 31,109....
, Ves
Villa de Ves
Villa de Ves is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 63....
, Tobarra
Tobarra
Tobarra is a municipality in the province of Albacete in Spain, with a population of c. 8,000 as of 2009.The area is famous for its "Moniquí" variety of apricots, its drum processions and its Holy Week observances, declared by the government to be of National Tourist Interest...
, Almansa
Almansa
Almansa is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality borders with Alicante, Valencia and Murcia...
, Yecla
Yecla
Yecla is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the extreme north of the autonomous community of Murcia, located 96 km from the capital of the region, Murcia....
, Sax
Sax
-Places:* Sax, Alicante, a municipality in Spain* Saxmundham, UK - a colloquial short form used in East Suffolk* Sax, a village in the Sennwald municipality in Switzerland-People:* Sax, later "Sax-Hohensax", name a house of barons originally at Hohensax castle...
and Villena
Villena
Villena is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, to the north with the province of Valencia and to the east and south with the province of Alicante. It is the capital of the comarca...
were owned by Juan Manuel, Lord of Villena
Juan Manuel, Lord of Villena
Juan Manuel was the son of Ferdinand III of Castile and his wife Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen....
, so it began to be called the Land of don Manuel. On the other side, the Land of Alarcón and Iniesta belonged to the crown during the 12th and 13th centuries, being incorporated to the seigneury by Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, who had a very wide jurisdiction in his land and made it become a Dukedom and, finally, a Principate.