In this small room, located next to the Temporary Exhibition Hall, you can view a small selection of our pieces from the Middle Ages. Visitors can admire major Christian battles against Islam, such as the famous Battle of Covadonga, the Siege of Toledo, and the Surrender of Granada—the latter inspired by the 1882 oil painting by Francisco Pradilla Ortiz, one of the leading figures of Spain’s historical-romantic painting movement.
It depicts the surrender of the last Nasrid sultan of Granada to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492. After a long siege and despite their attempts to resist, Boabdil and his people began to suffer the ravages of hunger and disease under the Christian siege. Finally, Boabdil had no choice but to capitulate and surrender his kingdom to the Christian monarchs.
The figures in the diorama were created by the Valencian manufacturer Ángel Comes. In 1947, the Alymer brand created what were called “Miniploms”—20-mm figures made of lead and entirely handcrafted.
The entry of James I into Valencia, with the city depicted as a taifa known as “Balansiya”—a representation inspired by the frescoes found in Alcañiz Castle. The troops of Abd al-Aziz, king of the Valencia taifa, complete the local medieval scene
There are depictions of several decisive battles that took place during the Hundred Years’ War in Europe, such as the Battle of Crécy (1346), which pitted the French and English armies against each other, and the Battle of Poitiers (1356), both of which shaped the future of these nations.
Another defining feature of the Middle Ages was the clashes between different civilizations, particularly the Crusades waged by Christian knights to reclaim sites considered holy. During this period, military orders emerged and rose to prominence; these are depicted in the display cases through high-quality figurines. Finally, we can see the encounter between Saladin and Richard the Lionheart (a diorama created using vintage pieces from CBG-Mignot).
Medieval tournaments, castle sieges, and Viking raids are interwoven with the aforementioned elements to depict the Middle Ages.
