Valencian people
Encyclopedia
The Valencians are an ethnic group or nationality whose homeland is the Valencian Community
, which is a historical region in eastern Spain. The official languages of Valencia are Catalan
(Valencian
dialects), and Spanish
(called Castilian).
The Valencian Community
is politically divided in three provinces, from South to North: Alicante
, Valencia
and Castellón
. The current version of the Valencian Statute of Autonomy
declares the Valencian Community a nationality
, and its capital is the city of Valencia.
was taken by king James I the Conqueror
of the Crown of Aragon
. The population of the new kingdom was basically Arab
so, the crown started a campaign of repopulation of the lands with Christian
population, as usual in the Spanish Reconquista
. The new Christian population was, mainly, formed by Catalan people
, just as years before was done in the Balearic islands
. But in the Valencian repopulation were also significant Aragonese
presence, specially in the interior parts of the kingdom, where Spanish is the common language, as Valencian
is in the coast, where most of the new inhabitants had Catalan
or, less usual, Occitan
origins.
Until the 16th century the Valencian people (those Catalano
-Aragonese
Christian
people) were a minority in the kingdom they ruled. The coexistence between the Christian Catholic and the Moorish people was quite good, despite some chapters of religious intolerance like the massive Baptism
of Muslims during the first Revolt of the Brotherhoods. And even despite it meant the total predominance of the Valencian people in the kingdom, the Christian Valencian elites disapproved the King Philip
plans of Expulsion of the Moriscos
in 1609, because it take to the Kingdom's ruin, as long the manpower who traditionally worked the fields was gone.
The Expulsion of the Moriscos
wrote the actual linguistical map of the Kingdom of Valencia, with the elimination of Valencian language in the lands of Orihuela
, and its substitution by Spanish
.
cultivation and growing lowlands by the most important rivers (Júcar
, Turia
, Segura
, Vinalopó
), also in harbor cities important to the agricultural trade.
The most important population centers used to be, during the Roman times, Sagunt or Dénia
; later on in history, Valencia, Alicante
, Xàtiva
, Orihuela
, Elx
, Gandia
, or Vila-real
and, more recently recently, Alzira
and Castellón de la Plana
.
The population density which is higher in the central and southern regions and minor in the northern and inner ones, is derived from the traditional distribution of people which originated
in the orographic characteristics of the Valencian territory and the possibility to obtain irrigated land agriculture. Demographics were also affected by (being perhaps the exception to the mentioned distribution) the great industrial activity and the commerce of agriculturally derived products during the 20th century of noncoastal cities like Alcoi, Elda
, Ontinyent, Petrer
, Villena
, and La Vall d'Uixó
.
In the last years, concentration in the great capitals and its metropolitan areas has augmented considerably (e.g. Torrent
, Mislata
, Paterna
, Burjassot
, Sant Vicent del Raspeig, etc.) especially in all the coastal cities and towns. Thus, traditionally small populations such as Benidorm
or Torrevieja
have undergone a considerable population increase (still more remarkable during summertime) due to the seasonal migration of tourists.
(paˈeʎa) is a rice dish which originated in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Valencia
near lake Albufera
, a lagoon
in eastern Spain. Valencians consider paella their main national dish
.
Other famous Valencian dishes are the orxata drink, and the bunyols: the sweet pastry eaten in falles
.
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, which is a historical region in eastern Spain. The official languages of Valencia are Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
(Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
dialects), and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
(called Castilian).
The Valencian Community
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
is politically divided in three provinces, from South to North: Alicante
Alicante (province)
Alicante or Alacant is a province of eastern Spain, in the southern part of the Valencian Community. It is bordered by the provinces of Murcia on the southwest, Albacete on the west, Valencia on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the east...
, Valencia
Valencia (province)
Valencia or València is a province of Spain, in the central part of the Valencian Community.It is bordered by the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Castellón, and the Mediterranean Sea...
and Castellón
Castellón (province)
Castellón or Castelló is a province in the northern part of the Valencian Community, Spain. It is bordered by the provinces of Valencia to the south, Teruel to the west, Tarragona to the north, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the east. The western side of the province is in the mountainous...
. The current version of the Valencian Statute of Autonomy
Statute of Autonomy
Nominally, a Statute of Autonomy is a law hierarchically located under the constitution of a country, and over any other form of legislation...
declares the Valencian Community a nationality
Historical regions in Spain
Nationalities or historical nationalities , in Spain, is the term used to refer to specific regions that were granted by the 1978 Constitution a special status as Autonomous Communities....
, and its capital is the city of Valencia.
Historical background
The history of the actual Valencian people starts in 1237, when the Moorish taifa of ValenciaTaifa of Valencia
The Taifa of Valencia was a medieval taifa kingdom which existed, in and around Valencia, Spain during four distinct periods: from 1010 to 1065, from 1075 to 1099, from 1145 to 1147 and last from 1229 to 1238 when it was finally conquered by Aragon....
was taken by king James I the Conqueror
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
of the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
. The population of the new kingdom was basically Arab
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
so, the crown started a campaign of repopulation of the lands with Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
population, as usual in the Spanish Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
. The new Christian population was, mainly, formed by Catalan people
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
, just as years before was done in the Balearic islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
. But in the Valencian repopulation were also significant Aragonese
Aragonese people
The Aragonese are an ethnic group or nation living in the historical region of Aragon, between the centre and the north-east of Spain. Their native Aragonese language, which might have been spoken in the whole of the Kingdom of Aragon in the Middle Ages, is nowadays a seriously endangered language,...
presence, specially in the interior parts of the kingdom, where Spanish is the common language, as Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
is in the coast, where most of the new inhabitants had Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
or, less usual, Occitan
Occitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
origins.
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
-Aragonese
Aragonese people
The Aragonese are an ethnic group or nation living in the historical region of Aragon, between the centre and the north-east of Spain. Their native Aragonese language, which might have been spoken in the whole of the Kingdom of Aragon in the Middle Ages, is nowadays a seriously endangered language,...
Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
people) were a minority in the kingdom they ruled. The coexistence between the Christian Catholic and the Moorish people was quite good, despite some chapters of religious intolerance like the massive Baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of Muslims during the first Revolt of the Brotherhoods. And even despite it meant the total predominance of the Valencian people in the kingdom, the Christian Valencian elites disapproved the King Philip
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
plans of Expulsion of the Moriscos
Expulsion of the Moriscos
On April 9, 1609, King Philip III of Spain decreed the Expulsion of the Moriscos . The Moriscos were the descendants of the Muslim population that converted to Christianity under threat of exile from Ferdinand and Isabella in 1502...
in 1609, because it take to the Kingdom's ruin, as long the manpower who traditionally worked the fields was gone.
The Expulsion of the Moriscos
Expulsion of the Moriscos
On April 9, 1609, King Philip III of Spain decreed the Expulsion of the Moriscos . The Moriscos were the descendants of the Muslim population that converted to Christianity under threat of exile from Ferdinand and Isabella in 1502...
wrote the actual linguistical map of the Kingdom of Valencia, with the elimination of Valencian language in the lands of Orihuela
Orihuela
Orihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 32,472 inhabitants in the beginning of 2006...
, and its substitution by Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
Demographics
The Valencian population traditionally concentrated in localities with fertileFertile soil
Fertile soil has the following properties:*It is rich in nutrients necessary for basic plant nutrition, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium....
cultivation and growing lowlands by the most important rivers (Júcar
Júcar
The Júcar or Xúquer is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico...
, Turia
Turia River
The Turia or Túria is a Spanish river which has its source in the Montes Universales, amidst the mountain ranges of the northwesternmost end of the Sistema Ibérico, Teruel province. From its source to roughly the city of Teruel, it is called Guadalaviar river...
, Segura
Segura
Segura is a medium-sized river in southeastern Spain.It starts at Santiago Pontones , passes Calasparra, Cieza, Murcia, Beniaján, Orihuela, Rojales and ends in the Mediterranean Sea near Guardamar del Segura in the province of Alicante...
, Vinalopó
Vinalopó
The Vinalopó is a small river flowing through the Alicante province, of Spain. It flows from north to south and, with a length of 81 km., it is the longest of the rivers which flows for its entire length within the limits of this province...
), also in harbor cities important to the agricultural trade.
The most important population centers used to be, during the Roman times, Sagunt or Dénia
Dénia
Dénia is a city in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, the judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta...
; later on in history, Valencia, Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Xàtiva
Xàtiva
Xàtiva is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways....
, Orihuela
Orihuela
Orihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 32,472 inhabitants in the beginning of 2006...
, Elx
Elx
Elche or Elx is a city located in the comarca of Baix Vinalopó, in the Alicante province which, in turn, is a part of the Valencian Community, Spain...
, Gandia
Gandia
Gandia is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar, 65 km south of Valencia and 96 km north of Alicante....
, or Vila-real
Vila-real
Vila-real is a city in the province of Castellón, in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located 7 km to the south of the province's capital , at 42 m above sea level, it has 51,367 inhabitants , most of them living in the urban area that covers about 10.72% of its county's 55.4 km2 surface...
and, more recently recently, Alzira
Alzira
Alzira may refer to:*Alzira , an opera by Giuseppe Verdi*Alzira, Valencia, a town in Spain, also known as Alcira...
and Castellón de la Plana
Castellón de la Plana
Castellón de la Plana or Castelló de la Plana is the capital city of the province of Castelló, in the Valencian Community, Spain, in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Costa del Azahar by the Mediterranean Sea...
.
The population density which is higher in the central and southern regions and minor in the northern and inner ones, is derived from the traditional distribution of people which originated
in the orographic characteristics of the Valencian territory and the possibility to obtain irrigated land agriculture. Demographics were also affected by (being perhaps the exception to the mentioned distribution) the great industrial activity and the commerce of agriculturally derived products during the 20th century of noncoastal cities like Alcoi, Elda
Elda
Elda is a city located in the province of Alicante, Spain. , it has a total population of 55,618 inhabitants, ranking as the 7th most populous city in the province. Elda joins together with the town of Petrer to form a conurbation with over 85,000 inhabitants...
, Ontinyent, Petrer
Petrer
Petrer is a town located in the comarca of Vinalopó Mitjà, in the province of Alicante, Spain.Petrer joins together with the city of Elda to form a conurbation with over 95,000 inhabitants...
, 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...
, and La Vall d'Uixó
La Vall d'Uixó
La Vall d'Uixó is a town situated in eastern Spain, in the Valencian province of Castellón. La Vall is located 25 km to the south of the province's capital Castellón, 45 km to the north of the community’s capital Valencia and 8 km to the Mediterranean Sea, so it is at 118 m...
.
In the last years, concentration in the great capitals and its metropolitan areas has augmented considerably (e.g. Torrent
Torrent, Valencia
Torrent is a city located within the metropolitan area of the city of Valencia, Spain. It is the largest municipality of the Horta Sud comarca, with 79,843 inhabitants . It is situated some 7 km from Valencia city proper, to which it is connected via the...
, Mislata
Mislata
Mislata is a municipality in the Valencian Community, in Spain. It has borders with the city of Valencia and Quart de Poblet in the west and Xirivella in the south.-Population:...
, Paterna
Paterna
Paterna is a municipality in the province of Valencia in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is located northeast of the comarca of La Huerta de Valencia, 5 km northwest of Valencia, and on the left bank of the river Turia...
, Burjassot
Burjassot
Burjassot is a municipality in the comarca of Horta Nord in the Valencian Community, Spain. The footballer José Carlos Cerveró was born there on 11th December 1979....
, Sant Vicent del Raspeig, etc.) especially in all the coastal cities and towns. Thus, traditionally small populations such as Benidorm
Benidorm
Benidorm is a coastal town and municipality located in the comarca of Marina Baixa, in the province of Alicante, Valencian community, Spain, by the Western Mediterranean....
or Torrevieja
Torrevieja
Torrevieja is a seaside city and municipality located on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante, in south-eastern Spain.Torrevieja lies about 30 miles south of the city of Alicante and has a population of 104,000...
have undergone a considerable population increase (still more remarkable during summertime) due to the seasonal migration of tourists.
Traditional dishes
PaellaPaella
Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain's national dish, but most Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish...
(paˈeʎa) is a rice dish which originated in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Valencia
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
near lake Albufera
Albufera
The Albufera is a saltwater lagoon and estuary on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the Valencian Community in eastern Spain. It is the main porton of the Parc Natural de l'Albufera , with a surface area of...
, a lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
in eastern Spain. Valencians consider paella their main national dish
National dish
A national dish is a dish, food or a drink that is considered to represent a particular country, nation or region.A dish can become a national dish for a variety of reasons. It can be the national dish because it is a staple daily food for the majority of the population. It can also be the national...
.
Other famous Valencian dishes are the orxata drink, and the bunyols: the sweet pastry eaten in falles
Falles
The Falles is a Valencian traditional celebration in praise of Saint Joseph in Valencia, Spain. The term Falles refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during the celebration...
.
See also
- List of Valencians
- Nationalities of SpainNationalities of SpainNationalities of Spain can refer to:*A Spanish constitutional designation of certain subnational political entities *Spaniards, as a people from Spain.*A member of a foreign nationality living in Spain....
- ValencianismValencianismValencian nationalism or Valencianism is a political movement in the Valencian Community, one of the Autonomous Communities of Spain.It advocates to reach the highest level of self-government, or independence itself, for the Valencian Country....
- Aragonese peopleAragonese peopleThe Aragonese are an ethnic group or nation living in the historical region of Aragon, between the centre and the north-east of Spain. Their native Aragonese language, which might have been spoken in the whole of the Kingdom of Aragon in the Middle Ages, is nowadays a seriously endangered language,...
- Spanish peopleSpanish peopleThe Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
- IlercavoniaIlercavoniaIlercavonia is an ancient comarca of Spain formerly populated by the ancient Iberian tribe known as Ilercavones. It is a greater comarca made up of smaller ones...