Origins vase from
Ciempozuelos,
Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid.
Copper Age artefacts found in the area include
arrowheads,
knives,
stone chips, and sheets of
flint and
quartzite. During the
Bronze Age, certain strategically located areas were populated in a number of temporary settlements. The earliest indications of a continuous human presence in the area known as Valdemoro dates back to the
Iron Age on the farmlands of El Espartal in the Eastern parts of the municipal district Without a doubt, the most important archeological discovery in the area is the so-called "Ciempozuelo type" of
Bell Beaker. Discovered in the extreme southeast of Valdemoro, close to the city of
Ciempozuelos (its namesake), these vases, which date back to c. 1900 BCE, are made of gray or black clay and are decorated with geometric motifs. The remains of
Roman villa from the
Late Roman period, which operated continuously until the
Visigoth invasion, can also be seen in the area. The farmlands of El Espartal have been declared
Bien de Interés Cultural ("Area of cultural heritage/interest") as an Archeological Zone.
Foundation The discovery of ruins of ancient methods of water transportation confirms Valdemoro's origins as an ancient
Moorish settlement. The area was populated before the Moors' arrival, and this indigenous Gothic ( Goths are not natives to Iberia) population resisted the invasion fiercely. After the
Reconquista, the bishops of
Segovia and
Palencia argued about who would control the settlement at Valdemoro. The settlement was eventually annexed into the Segovian communice in 1190 after the intervention of King
Alfonso VIII and the mediation of
Pope Clement III. Valdemoro soon became one of the most important municipalities in the
Sistema Central mountain range, more so than
Chinchón,
Bayona,
Villaconejos,
Valdelaguna,
Seseña,
San Martín de la Vega and
Ciempozuelos.
Modern age In the middle of the 14th century,
Adelantado Hernán Pérez de Portocarrero of
Castile assimilated Valdemoro into his other holdings. By the end of that century, Valdemoro was assimilated into the ecclesiastical dominion of the
Archbishop of
Toledo. Soon after, King
Henry III of Castile awarded Valdemoro the privileges of the designation of
Villa, which facilitate the area's social and economic development. In 1577, King
Philip II became so infuriated with the Archbishop of Toledo that he declared Valdemoro
realengo (under the direct control of the King). Soon after,
Melchor de Herrera, the
Marquess of Auñón, assumed control of Valdemoro. During this time, the Convento del Carmen religious community is founded. In 1602, de Herrera's heirs sold the village to
Francisco Goméz de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma and
favourite of King
Philip III. Under the Duke's rule, the area undergoes significant social development, including the foundation of the Feria Barroca. In 1605, the Fuente de la Villa ("Village Fountain"), one of the area's most emblematic monuments, is built. In 1616, the
Convento de Santa Clara is inaugurated. The most important works of art in the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción are created during the second half of the 17th century. . Due to the efforts of
hidalgo José Aguado Correa during the 18th century, Valdemoro emerged from a period of deterioration and poverty. The arrival of the
House of Bourbon to Spain brought a wave of industrial revolution, giving Aguado Correa the opportunity to establish a textile factory in Valdemoro. By the end of the 18th century,
Pedro López de Lerena, a Minister in the Courts of Kings
Charles III and
Charles IV, founded a number of public schools in 1792, and funded the redecoration the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción by artists such as
Francisco de Goya,
Francisco Bayeu, and
Ramón Bayeu. López de Lerena also attempts to revitalize Aguado Correa's factory, but fails, as the population retains its
Medieval mindset. Though the area's economy remained primarily agricultural during the 19th century, the
gypsum mining industry began to slowly develop. During this time, Valdemoran wines gained some fame throughout
La Sagra. These timid attempts at industrialization were interrupted by the
Peninsular War. The
French army's occupation of Valdemoro resulted in a significant loss of life, art, and contemporary documentation. In 1822, during the reign of King
Ferdinand VII, Valdemoro was officially declared to be a part of the
province of Madrid. In 1851, the ferry line connecting Madrid to
Aranjuez is rerouted to stop in Valdemoro. Soon after, in 1855, the Colegio de Guardias Jóvenes "Duque de Ahumada" is constructed on the foundations of the old textile factory. The Colegio remained at this location until it was moved out of the municipality in 1972. The grounds now make up the Parque Duque de Ahumada.
20th century and the present Valdemoro saw a significant loss of life and artistic heritage during the 20th century and especially during the
Spanish Civil War. Economic stability wasn't re-established until well into the 1950s. The restoration of the democracy in 1975 heralded a new era for the district, ushering in widespread urban and industrial growth. The construction of new industrial parks and new neighborhoods (El Restón, UDE Oeste-Norte, Las Comunidades) facilitated Valdemoro's transition from rural municipality to
commuter town. This growth continues today, and the population is expected to continue to increase. ==Politics and government==