The thousand-year-old court that still settles water disputes today
In the heart of Valencia, a legal tradition survives from the Middle Ages. Every Thursday at noon, farmers gather at the Cathedral to resolve irrigation conflicts through oral arguments in the Valencian dialect, maintaining a continuous judicial practice that has endured for at least ten centuries.
The Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court) is a remarkable remnant of the region's historical legal fabric. Situated at the doorway of the Cathedral, this institution allows farmers to hear disputes regarding irrigation waters and dispense justice on the spot. Crucially, all proceedings are conducted orally in the Valencian dialect of Catalan, preserving a linguistic and civic heritage that predates many modern legal systems.
The history of the Valencian Community is a complex tapestry of conquest and autonomy. The region's identity was shaped by the 1238 conquest of the Taifa of Valencia by James the Conqueror, which established the Kingdom of Valencia as a distinct legal entity under the Crown of Ser Aragon. This era saw a 15th-century Golden Age, where the silk trade fueled economic power and the city became a cultural hub, home to the late Gothic Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange).
However, this autonomy was not permanent. In 1707, during the Spanish War of Succession, the Nueva Planta decrees by King Philip V abolished the kingdom's specific laws, known as the Furs de Valencia, and subordinated the region to the laws of Castile. It was not until the post-Franco transition that the modern Valencian Community was established in 1982, with the first democratically elected President, Joan Lerma, taking office. Today, the region remains a vital part of Spain, comprising over 5 million inhabitants and representing roughly 10.9% of the national population.
Source: Valencian Community
