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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Esquilache riots, Valencia 1766

Synopsis
The popular disturbances in Valencia in April 1766 were part of a wave of riots that simultaneously affected numerous Spanish towns and cities during the subsistence crisis of the 1765-1766 agricultural year. Unlike the events in Madrid, however, Valencia did not experience a violent uprising but rather a state of unrest, as the city maintained a relatively adequate grain supply throughout the crisis. Indeed, following the Madrid riot, Charles III even considered moving the court to Valencia. On 29 March 1766, the captain general of Valencia, the Count of Aranda, departed the city for Madrid. In early April, pamphlets and rumours began to circulate denouncing the meat supply and encouraging popular unrest. Nevertheless, the situation remained under control thanks to the vigilance of the intendant Gómez de la Vega, reductions in food prices, and the charitable assistance provided by the Church. The disturbances in Valencia coincided with those in Alicante, Orihuela, and Cartagena, where the authorities likewise succeeded in preventing major outbreaks of violence by rapidly reducing the prices of bread, oil, and other essential foodstuffs.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 1 week. Name in sources: Alborotos. Location: Valencia Country (current): Spain. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Artisans, Others, Workers. Number of participants: >500. Main reasons & motivations: Economic, Food, Political. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: low.

Further reading
ANDRÉS-GALLEGO, José (2003). El motín de Esquilache, América y Europa. Madrid: Fundación Mapfre Tavera and CSIC. PALOP, José Miguel (1977). Hambre y lucha antifeudal. Las crisis de subsistencias en Valencia (siglo XVIII). Madrid: Siglo XXI, pp. 93-102.
Cite this entry

Mena Acevedo, Daniel (2026). "Esquilache riots, Valencia 1766", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/esquilache-riots-valencia-1766-2/ (accessed on 28 July 2026).

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