Valencia’s Fall in 1238 Followed Five-Month Siege Despite Emir’s Resistance

The Muslim city of Valencia in Al-Andalus was surrendered to the Christian Kingdom of Aragon under a treaty signed on 17 Safar 636 AH, in 1238, following a siege lasting about five months.

The agreement brought the prolonged siege to an end despite resistance led by Emir Abu Jamil. The city’s defence had not prevented the eventual decision to hand it over.

The account places the severe siege at the centre of Valencia’s fall. It does not detail the military developments or negotiations that preceded the surrender treaty.

The handover marked a transfer of Valencia from Muslim rule to the Kingdom of Aragon, making the agreement a turning point in the city’s medieval history.