Date of Defense

5-20-2024

Date of Graduation

4-2024

Department

History

First Advisor

Larry Simon

Second Advisor

Pablo Pastrana-Pérez

Abstract

This study analyzes the effects of one individual’s motivations, personality, and beliefs on the conquest of the Kingdom of Valencia and the pluralist legacy which evolved on the Christian frontier. That is to say, it was the personal drive and desire of King James I of Aragon which led to this crusade. The king entered in on the Valencian scene as a product of the overwhelming circumstances which plagued his adolescence. James illustrates his own perspective on these events as well as the major events which occurred over the course of his life in his Book of Deeds. Studying this text can aid in understanding his unique perspective, as well as understanding the views which defined his style of conquest, negotiation, and administration on the frontier.

It is undeniable that King James himself boasted a great deal of influence on the events which would set the groundwork for Valencia’s pluralist tradition. His personal relationship with the Muslims of Valencia resulted in the guarantee of their protection under the crown, both in terms of their safety and their autonomy. In conjunction with preserving these communities, James became their leading profiteer, further consolidating his control over the territory. The king’s actions would establish a legacy of Muslim protections in the territory which his descendants would continue to follow up through the reign of King Ferdinand, despite the rising religious fervor which surrounded the reconquista throughout the following centuries.

The king’s protections prevented the outright suppression or destruction of the Valencian Muslims by Chistian settlers and institutions. Despite the period of instability which immediately followed Valencia’s conquest, tensions in the region eventually calmed as the Mudejar community came to be widely accepted as a profitable necessity by their Christian neighbors. Christians and Muslims developed a mutually-beneficial coexistence in which they remained socially stratified as separate groups.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Restricted

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