CChronica Maps

Valencia: History, Former Names & Timeline

Mediterranean city once ruled by El Cid; after the Aragonese conquest it became capital of the Kingdom of Valencia.

Map showing Valencia in 1100Valencia
Border map for 1100. See Europe in 1100.

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Former names of Valencia

FromNameNote
138 BCValentiacolony of Roman veterans
AD 714Balansiya
1238València

Timeline of Valencia

YearEvent
138 BCThe consul Decimus Junius Brutus founds the city
AD 714The Moors take Valencia (about this date)
1094El Cid captures Valencia
1102The Almoravids retake Valencia
1238James I of Aragon conquers Valencia
1609The Moriscos are expelled
1936The Republican government moves to Valencia during the Civil War

Who ruled Valencia

Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.

PeriodState
500 BC–201 BCCarthaginian Empire
200 BC–101 BCRome
100 BC–2 BCRoman Republic
1 BC–299Roman Empire
300–399Rome (Maximian)
400–499Western Roman Empire
500–599Visigoths
600–699Visigothic Kingdom
700–799Umayyad Caliphate
800–999Emirate of Córdoba
1000–1099Caliphate of Córdoba
1100–1199Almoravid dynasty
1200–1299Almohad Caliphate
1300–1599Aragón
1600–todaySpain

Famous people of Valencia

LivedPerson
c. 1043 – 1099El CidCastilian knight

Nearby cities

Questions about Valencia

What was Valencia called in the past?

Valencia has been known as Valentia (from 138 BC, colony of Roman veterans); Balansiya (from AD 714); València (from 1238). Its present name dates from 1238.

Which states have ruled Valencia?

On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Valencia lies within 15 different states: Carthaginian Empire, Rome, Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Rome (Maximian), Western Roman Empire, Visigoths, Visigothic Kingdom, Umayyad Caliphate, Emirate of Córdoba and others.

What are the key dates in the history of Valencia?

138 BC: The consul Decimus Junius Brutus founds the city. AD 714: The Moors take Valencia (about this date). 1094: El Cid captures Valencia. 1102: The Almoravids retake Valencia. 1238: James I of Aragon conquers Valencia.

Which famous people are connected with Valencia?

El Cid (castilian knight, c. 1043 – 1099).