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Valencian Golden Age

The Valencian Golden Age or Valencian Letters Golden Age corresponds to a historical period that embraces the entire 14th and 15th centuries in which it flourished, continuing in the 16th century. It has precursors in the 13th century, such as Jordi de Sant Jordi, Mossen Jayme or Jacme Febrer (Trovas) and San Pedro Pascual (Biblia Parva and others). In such way that the Valencian achieved the literary category before the Spanish and Portuguese Golden Age, which arrived in the 16th century; the English, 17th century; and the French and German, 18th century. It developed at the same time as the Italian did with Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio. Considered as a great cultural movement, it covers all sciences of that time and provides the best literary works in Valencian ever written in the Kingdom of Valencia. The vast majority of great writers of this time are Valencians or write in Valencian. This great resurgence of the Kingdom of Valencia ended with the Exploration of North America, the Crown of Aragon together with the Crown of Castile spent all their resources in that great company. Another important element was the Inquisition, that caused the fleeing of an important number of intellectuals, traders and smiths. Nevertheless, Valencia still maintained before and during the Age of Enlightenment very important figures in science, medicine, humanities, etc.

Socio-political situation

In order to actually understand this movement, it is essential to comprehend the context, considering that any cultural movement needs a certain stability of growth and development of the entire genetic load of the ingenuity and enterprising character, whether it comes from a change or not. First of all, it would be interesting to know that in these lands there is a background to take in account; an autochthonous and foreign mixture: Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and North Africans that led to Al-Andalus. As a Taifa Balansiya, paper (Játiva) was introduced and manufactured for the first time in the western world, as well as a multitude of sciences and other branches of knowledge. Dozens of texts were also translated from the Arabic language, Romance languages and the Hebrew language. After the death of Martin The Humane and the absence of a direct successor, there came a few years of instability. Up to that moment, Valencia had enjoyed its own entity and it was administered by public authorities, judges and courts, putting these before the right of lords and nobles. The ambitions of the Aragonese nobles, who again see themselves with possibilities of extending their lordships and personal domains, revoking the rights obtained by the Valencian people established since James I of Aragon. With the Compromise of Caspe (1412), these ambitions were curbed, as Fernando I of Aragon, from the House of Trastámara, was chosen as his successor. This house is known for its links with the bourgeoisie, limiting the power of the nobles. During the reign of Alfonso the Magnanimous (1416-1458), the Crown of Aragon, and its certain pacification with Castile began an expansive foreign policy throughout the Mediterranean, favoured mainly from Valencia, and in some cases such as that of Naples/Sicilia with Valencian money, which the Aragonese nobles refused to contribute. The conflicts in the Kingdom of Aragon cause the bourgeoisie to flee to the Kingdom of Valencia, where these problems do not exist. Barcelona would enter into frank decadence and on the other hand, the city of Valencia grew until reaching 75,000 inhabitants in the middle of the century, when Barcelona numbered 14,000. The Valencian capital was the economic, political and social centre of the Crown of Aragon and hence that led to an intellectual flowering that turned it into an important literary centre. It should be noted that the Golden Age is a phenomenon that, although focused on the capital of the Turia, something had to radiate and influence the whole of the Kingdom, since an economic and cultural development always benefits everyone. It is also worth highlighting the coexistence of different cultures, creating very important humanistic currents (Juan Luis Vives 16th century and others). Many of the humanist ideas spread throughout Italy and Europe, as well as the military successes achieved by the Crown of Aragon.

Relevant facts

The first printing in Spain arrived in Valencia from Mainz, a German Gutenberg, which was installed around 1470. The first literary work printed in Spain took place in Valencia (city) in 1474, which denotes a great boost on written works. The work is entitled Trobes en lahors de la Verge María and was printed in the street of Portal de la Valldigna, located in the neighbourhood of El Carmen. The first Bible of Europe written in Romance (1478) was in Valencian, by Br. Boniface Ferrer, brother of Saint Vincent Ferrer. The permission of the Vatican was needed, since it only was allowed writing Bibles in Latin.

Significant figures

Writers from the Kingdom of Valencia •	Jordi de Sant Jordi (13??-1424) who still followed the troubadour tradition.

•	Saint Peter Pascual (1227-1300) Biblia Parva.

•	Jacme Febrer (1238) “Trovas” (There were controversies but, without a doubt, he was Valencian and wrote in Valencian)

•	Saint Vincent Ferrer and his brother Boniface, translation of the Bible from Latin to Valencian, first of Europe.

•	Antoni Canals (1352-1419) "Valerius Maximus" (translation)

•	Ausiàs March (1397-1459), master of the introspective analysis of the Renaissance man.

•	Joanot Martorell, Tirant lo Blanch, first modern European novel.

•	Joan Roís de Corella (1433/43-1497), who displays an erudite humanism.

•	Jaume Roig (ca. 1400-1478), author of Espill or Llibre de les dones and the Valencian satirical school.

•	Isabel de Villena (1430-1490), intimist and tender quill. "Vita Christi".

Painting and sculpture

Valencian’s painting and sculpture were influenced by Flemish and Italian trends, as we can see in artists such as:

•	Lluís Dalmau

•	Gonçal Peris

•	Damià Forment

This century, between Middle Ages and Renaissance, is vivified by their close relations with Italians: Alfonso V of Aragon (the Magnanimous” moved to Naples where maintained a brilliant court until his death in 1458. His son Ferdinand II of Aragon succeeded him in Naples with the same success.

Valencian Golden Age

The Valencian Golden Age or Valencian Letters Golden Age corresponds to a historical period that embraces the entire 14th and 15th centuries in which it flourished, continuing in the 16th century. It had forefathers in the 13th century, such as Jordi de Sant Jordi, Mossen Jayme or Jacme Febrer (Trovas) and Saint Peter Paschal (Biblia Parva and others).

In such way that the Valencian Golden Age achieved the literary category before the Spanish and Portuguese ones, which arrived in the 16th century; the English one, in the 17th century; and the French and German ones, in the 18th century. It was developed at the same time as the Italian did with Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio.

Considered as a great cultural movement, it covers all sciences of that time and provides the best literary works ever written in Valencian language in the Kingdom of Valencia. The vast majority of great writers of this time are from Valencia or write in Valencian. This great resurgence of the Kingdom of Valencia ended with The European Colonization of America, the Crown of Aragon together with the Crown of Castile spent all their resources in that great venture. Another important element was the Inquisition, that caused the fleeing of an important number of intellectuals, traders and smiths. Nevertheless, Valencia still maintained, before and during the Age of Enlightenment, very important figures in science, medicine, humanities, etc.

Socio-political situation

In order to actually understand this movement, it is essential to comprehend the context, considering that any cultural movement needs a certain stability of growth and development of the entire genetic load of the ingenuity and enterprising character of a nation, whether it comes from a change or not.

First of all, it would be interesting to know that in these lands there is a background to take into account; an autochthonous and foreign mixture: Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and North Africans that led to Al-Andalus. As a Taifa Balansiya, paper (Játiva) was introduced and manufactured for the first time in the Western world, as well as a multitude of sciences and other branches of knowledge. Dozens of texts were also translated from the Arabic, Romance and Hebrew language s.

After the death of Martin The Humane and the absence of a direct heir there came a few years of instability. Up to that moment, Valencia had enjoyed its own entity and it was administered by public authorities, judges and courts, putting these before the right of lords and nobles.

The ambitions of the Aragonese nobles, who again saw themselves with possibilities of extending their lordships and personal domains, revoking the rights obtained by the Valencian people established since James I of Aragon. With the Compromise of Caspe (1412), these ambitions were curbed, as Fernando I of Aragon, from the House of Trastámara, was chosen as his heir. This house is known for its links with the bourgeoisie, limiting the power of the nobles. During the reign of Alfonso the Magnanimous (1416-1458), the Crown of Aragon, and its certain pacification with Castile began an expansive foreign policy throughout the Mediterranean, favoured mainly from Valencia, and in some cases such as that of Naples/Sicilia with Valencian money, which the Aragonese nobles refused to contribute.

The conflicts in the Kingdom of Aragon cause the bourgeoisie to flee to the Kingdom of Valencia, where these problems did not exist. Barcelona would enter into frank decadence and meanwhile the city of Valencia grew until reaching 75,000 inhabitants in the middle of the century, when Barcelona numbered 14,000. The Valencian capital was the economic, political and social centre of the Crown of Aragon and hence that led to an intellectual flowering that turned it into an important literary centre. It should be noted that the Golden Age is a phenomenon that, despite being focused on the capital of the Turia, something had to radiate and influence the whole of the Kingdom, since an economic and cultural development always benefits everyone.

It is also worth highlighting the coexistence of different cultures, creating very important humanistic trends (Juan Luis Vives 16th century and others). Many of the humanist ideas spread  throughout Italy and Europe, as well as the military successes achieved by the Crown of Aragon.

Relevant facts

The first printing press in Spain, which was a German Gutenberg, arrived in Valencia from Mainz and was installed around 1470. The first impression of a literary work in Spain took place in Valencia (city) in 1474, which came with a great boost on written works. The title of this work is Trobes en lahors de la Verge María and was printed on Portal de la Valldigna street, located in El Carmen neighbourhood. The first Bible printed in a Romance language in Europe (1478) was written in Valencian, by Brother Boniface Ferrer, who was the brother of Saint Vincent Ferrer. The permission of the Vatican was needed, since bibles only were allowed to be written in Latin.

Distinguished personalities

Writers from the Kingdom of Valencia

• Jordi de Sant Jordi (13??-1424) who still followed the troubadour tradition.

• Saint Peter Paschal (1227-1300): Biblia Parva.

• Jacme Febrer (1238): Trovas. (There were controversies but, without a doubt, he was Valencian and wrote in Valencian)

• Saint Vincent Ferrer and his brother Boniface: translation of the Bible from Latin to Valencian, the first in Europe.

• Antoni Canals (1352-1419): Valeri Maxim (translation)

• Ausiàs March (1397-1459): master of the introspective analysis of the Renaissance man.

• Joanot Martorell: Tirant lo Blanch, the first European modern novel.

• Joan Roís de Corella (1433/43-1497), who displays an erudite humanism.

• Jaume Roig (ca. 1400-1478): author of Espill or Llibre de les dones and the Valencian satirical school.

• Sister Isabel de Villena (1430-1490): intimist and tender writer. Vita Christi.

Painting and sculpture

Valencian’s painting and sculpture were influenced by Flemish and Italian trends, as we can see in artists such as:

• Lluís Dalmau

• Gonçal Peris

• Damià Forment

This century, between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, is remembered by their close relations with Italians: Alfonso V of Aragon (also known as “the Magnanimous”) moved to Naples where maintained a brilliant court until his death in 1458. His son Ferdinand II of Aragon succeeded him in Naples with the same success.