Guide of Valencia

At the end of the XIV century a new wall that surrounded the city was built. At this time Valencia enjoyed a large urban development and public hygiene, widening the sewerage network.

In the 1390 the Jewish quarter or «Call» had to be extended because of the Semitic population growth. The common people did not look favorably upon this expansion and in 1391 the Jewish quarter was looted. One hundred Jews were killed. Those who remained took refuge in the synagogue and terrified asked to be baptized. After these events the area of the Jewish quarter was reduced and the baptized inhabitants were fully integrated in the Christian life.

Fights between lineages were very common at this time. In Valencia the cruelest feud were between the Centelles and the Soler families, initiated by small incidents and worsened with Pere de Centelles’ and Lluís Soler’s death.

In 1409 Padre Jofré (Joan Gilabert Jofré (1350–1417)) seeing that on the streets some kids were stoning madmen, built a mental hospital, beside the «Torrent Portal», where they can be hospitalized, being the first mental hospital in the world.

In 1410 King Martín First died leaving no offspring behind. The Centelles, the aristocracy and the Aragonese were supporters of Ferdinand de Antequera, while the Vilaraguts, the judges of the city and the bourgeoisie supported the candidacy proposed by the Catalans of the Count of Urgell. Not reaching any agreement a violent civil war broke out, finally the convention delegates of Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia and Majorca met in Caspe for the election of a new king. The delegates were valencian San Vicente Ferrer, his brother Boniface Ferrer and the jurist Giner Rabasa, the last one replaced with Pere Bertrán. Ferdinand de Antequera was elected by majority 6 votes to 3 as King of the Crown of Aragon, thus introducing the Trastámara dynasty in the life of the city in 1412.