On October 9, 1238, King James I of Aragon entered the city of Valencia after a long siege, completing the Christian conquest of the Muslim-ruled kingdom. The surrender was negotiated peacefully, with the Muslim population allowed to leave the city with their belongings. This conquest was a major victory for the Reconquista, establishing a new Christian kingdom that became a crucial part of the Crown of Aragon and a center of Mediterranean trade and culture.

The conquest of Valencia was celebrated in James I's Llibre dels fets, which provides a detailed and personal account of the campaign. The chronicle is a masterwork of medieval Catalan prose and a key document of the Reconquista. The event also inspired a rich body of troubadour poetry and epic narratives in both Catalan and Occitan, which celebrated the martial prowess of the Aragonese king and the Christian triumph over the Muslims.