Vicent Peris facts for kids

Vicent Peris (1478–1522), also known as Vicente Peris in Spanish, was a weaver and a powerful leader of the weavers' guild in Valencia. He became very important during the Revolt of the Brotherhoods, especially after the death of another leader, Joan Llorenç. Peris believed the revolt was a fight against the rich and powerful nobles. He also made the government of the Germanies (the rebels) strongly oppose Muslims, leading to harsher actions against them.

Vicent Peris: A Leader in the Revolt

Vicent Peris was born in Segorbe. He was part of a group called the Council of Thirteen. This group started to challenge the king's government in Valencia around 1519. Things got worse in 1520 when a new Castilian Viceroy, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, was appointed.

Early Leadership

A riot began when Viceroy Mendoza refused to accept new officials who supported the Germanies. During the chaos, a popular leader named "Sorolla" was killed. Peris then led the city's crowds and rebel fighters against the royal forces. The Viceroy had to leave Valencia. Soon after, Joan Llorenç died, likely from a heart attack.

With Sorolla and Llorenç gone, Peris became the most powerful person in the Council of Thirteen. However, not everyone agreed with his methods. Some say Llorenç was worried when he saw Peris leading the crowds. He supposedly said that Peris would ruin Valencia.

Expanding the Rebellion

At first, the king's government was not ready for a fight. This allowed the Germanies to grow stronger with little resistance. The most powerful nobles protected themselves in a castle near Gandia. Meanwhile, the Germanies took control of other cities in the Kingdom of Valencia.

To pay for their army, the Germanies took property and goods from nobles who were against them. They also took things from the mudéjars, who were Muslims living in Valencia. Because of this, many Muslims joined the armies of the nobles. Muslims captured by the Germanies were forced to convert to Christianity.

Military Victories

Peris achieved two important military wins. He captured the castle of Xàtiva on July 14, 1521. A week later, on July 23, he defeated the Viceroy Mendoza's forces near Gandia in the Battle of Gandia. Under Peris's command, the rebels looted the town and farms around Gandia. They also forced all the Muslims in the conquered area to convert to Christianity. One story says that after the Battle of Gandia, Peris captured 2,000 Muslim prisoners. He made them convert to Christianity, and many faced harsh consequences.

However, Peris found it hard to control disagreements among the Germanies about what to do next. Also, nobles in nearby Andalusia did not want the rebellion to spread to their lands. Their forces first took Elche (Elx). Then, they moved north and won a big victory at the Battle of Oriola on August 20, 1521.

Return to Valencia and Death

Peris stayed in Xàtiva's castle for about six months, hoping the situation would get better. But Valencia fell to the royal forces on November 1, 1521.

On the night of February 18, 1522, Peris secretly returned to Valencia. He hoped to restart the rebellion with his supporters. But he was seen or betrayed, and a fierce night battle broke out in the streets between the rebels and royal soldiers. Many lives were lost in this fight. Peris was eventually trapped when his house was set on fire. He was captured by the royal troops.

Vicent Peris was executed on March 3, 1522. Several other people were also punished. Peris's home was torn down, and the ground where it stood was made unusable for building. This spot became a small public square, which people unofficially named after him. The Viceroy also ordered that Peris's family members for four generations would be seen as traitors to their homeland.

See also

{{gallery style="text-align:center;" mode="packed" widths="300px" heights="300px" File:Kids robot.svg|In Spanish: Vicente Peris para niños }}