Origins and historical evolution
To understand the origins of Verger going to recompose the basis of references at the same time we can find documents and books. I say recompose because there are many historical references that allude to the municipality. The only study that exists on the historical evolution of the Verger, which explicitly refers to himself in the title, is conducted by Antoni F. Escrituela Level Domain and property of the Marina Alta. Denia, Javea El Verger, XV-XIX centuries. Unfortunately, the documents on properties, demographics and significant events are pergueren the fire that took place in the church of Verger century …
However we will try to reflect as clearly and precisely as possible what were the origins, the most important events that marked its development and how we arrived at the current situation, we must keep in mind that its proximity to a port so how important was the Denia, marked its evolution. During this explanation will refer to the bibliographical sources on which we have based this document for history.
The first and oldest reference found Orchard describes how a small Muslim village belonged to an Arab notable Denia. We have no details on the identity of this character or information that allows us to approach the life of this community. The only proof of the existence thereof is Cremadella Tower, watchtower of Muslim origin that is the game of the same name.
In February 1245 this small town would be conquered by the troops of James I and privilege was given to Pedro Eiximén Carròs, commander of the armies of James I, keeping its Muslim inhabitants.
After this the lord of Verger had the live, and this is the time that we get the first references and data existing Arab population in these lands.
The Arabs inhabited these lands centuries, after the decree of Charles V in 1525, were forced to be baptized and converted to Christianity under the penalty of expulsion. After that received the name “Moors” new Christians or Arabs converted to Christianity.
Philip III, in the year 1563 and in order to prevent the uprising of the Moors established the following Royal Pragmatic Sanction “in nineteen days of Giner, M.D.L.X.III year. with which it prohibits Moors nouament turned this kingdom of Valencia, sons and descendants of those for ningun time no mighty have or bring in His own houses, or others or outside them, or else any lloch or part some offensive or defensive weapons, own or others, except knives and tools required to run applications in the home, arts and crafts of old. Which published the source herd Excellentisim Mr. Don Alonso de Aragon, Duke of Segorbe and Cardona, llochtinent and captain general of this kingdom of Valencia. ”
This measure was taken because there were news that the Moors who lived Verger were in contact with Algeria and Tremencen to rebel against Christians. At the same time they built a series of lookout towers on the Mediterranean coast, an example of this is the tower of the Almadrava. It must be borne in mind that at that time the number of Arabs with regard to Christians was over. In Verger was Mr. Juan Jerónimo Vives responsible for confiscated weapons to the Arabs. Once in his hands and in front of a notary performed the following relationship:
| crossbows | 21 |
| daggers | 21 |
| Rodéeles | 2 |
| arquebuses | 1 |
| swords | 47 |
| brainwashers | 2 |
| Alfana | 1 |
| Alfana abpassador | 1 |
Thanks to this we know that at that time the village had 49 houses Verger, meaning a verse Moorish population 220 people. With the data collected from 1510 until the date of its expulsion can reconstruct the following table Moorish population to Verger:
Moorish settlement in Verger
| Year | Cases | Populatio |
| 1510 | 45 | 202 |
| 1544 | 50 | 225 |
| 1563 | 49 | 220 |
| 1565-72 | 45 | 202 |
| 1609 | 80 | 360 |
We can conclude from these lines that what was intended was that the Moors practicing Catholic cult. Do not forget that many were converted to Catholicism fearing expulsion of hidden but continued practicing their religion, and they constitute a very high percentage of the population. It was the year 1580 when mossén Jerónimo Vives sold Francisco de Rojas y Sandoval, V Marquess of Denia, by writing that the notary fierce Valencia Cosme Xulbi 21 September referred year, instead of Verger with the municipality, which limits were: with Ondara, Vinyals Rafeleta, the Plamars with Setla the Molinell, the Meadow and to the sea.
To better understand the importance of this act of purchase, explain who was Francisco de Sandoval and his relationship with the royal house. He was born in Valladolid, then court of Spain, in 1553. He was the son of the fourth Marquis of Denia and Na Isabel Borja, daughter of the Duke of Gandia IV (sr. Francisco de Borja) and great-grandchildren to this line of King Ferdinand.
New Mr. Verger married in 1576 to Na Catalina de la Cerda, daughter of the Duke of Medina (joint House Lerma with Medinaceli) woman who died in 1603 leaving several children, the largest in Christopher, after Duke of Uceda, so the church has to Verger holder of its San Cristobal parish church that commanded to construct the aforementioned marquis of Denia.
Francisco de Rojas was Great Spain, gentle man in the king’s chamber and was named viceroy of Valencia. On the death of Philip II, Philip III appointed him his valid. In 1599 he was named Duke of Lerma. Grand Duke of Lerma bought many properties, becoming the richest in Spain. The first purchase contained in its credit is Mr. Verger in 1580.
On 2 September 1609, Francisco de Rojas i Sandoval, decreed the expulsion of the Moors. In the case of the municipality of Verger, this was completely deserted. The strength of Bern, built by Philip II to monitor the coast from Denia to Alicante and control and the possible incursions of pirates, stopped being useful and keep it represented a high cost, so Felipe III was destroy.
The fortress included a chapel dedicated to Saint James, which, altar, chalices, vestments, frontals and other ornaments, were donated by King Felipe III in the church of Verger. Do not forget that the king had left in the hands of the Duke of Lerma the government of the state in the seventh century, the had recognized as her confidant, even gave him powers to the Francisco Sandoval firm valguera like the king.
See El Verger was really affected by depopulation root of the expulsion of the Moriscos, from which he could recover until well into the eighth century.
The expulsion helped to expand the property of the nobility with the possessions of the Moors behind the prior seizure by the Crown. For this reason there was so much interest from the nobility to repopulate these lands and put back into operation and its dominions profit as soon as possible. It was for this reason that in the new town charter that exposed the lands were repopulated by people of Denia, Pego and other places like the Balearic Islands.
The following information are the municipality of Verger dates from 1910, and is published in the general geography of the Kingdom of Valencia, in the section dedicated to the province of Alicante, Francisco Figueras Pacheco hand. In this text we find various information about the population structure and policy, together with other information of general interest.
We learn, among other data, the number of buildings on 31 December was 644. The lighting is electric, the water removed from the wells Street San Luis had a municipal laundry. The population at that date was 1 997 inhabitants in fact and pret 2159.
The economy is based on agriculture, both irrigated and rainfed crops and carob, olives, vines, cereals and legumes, oranges, vegetables, alfalfa and fruit trees.
Regarding infrastructure, services and communications, also know through this text that Orchard had a school for boys, one of girls, an asylum, a church dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, by mail a letter was part of the group that had the telephone central in Denia, and finally, railway station, within the course Carcaixent-Dénia.
Garcia Ribes, J.J. “Chronicles Vergerines: the Moors”
Orchard 1985.
R. Chabás. “History of the City of Denia”
Edit. Diputación de Alicante and M.I. Ayuntamiento de Denia.
Palau Moss. “Bass”
Edit. Marina Alta. Pedreguer 1983.
