Editing Valladolid (section)

== History ==
The area around Valladolid was inhabited before the medieval city developed. Valladolid expanded during the late eleventh century under Count Pedro Ansúrez, who governed and repopulated the settlement under King Alfonso VI of León and Castile. New neighbourhoods formed around the existing settlement as churches and civic institutions were established.

Valladolid became a frequent residence of the Castilian royal court during the later Middle Ages. Isabella of Castile married Ferdinand of Aragon in the city in 1469. The city's position within the Kingdom of Castile allowed it to develop as an administrative and commercial centre.

Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506. Philip II was born in the city in 1527. A major fire destroyed part of the centre in 1561, after which the Plaza Mayor and adjoining streets were rebuilt according to a more regular plan.

King Philip III transferred the royal court from [[Madrid]] to Valladolid in 1601. The court returned to Madrid in 1606, reducing the city's political importance. Valladolid remained a provincial centre and later recovered through grain trading and the development of flour mills.

Railway construction during the nineteenth century improved connections with Madrid and northern Spain. Industrial growth accelerated during the twentieth century. The establishment of vehicle manufacturing brought new employment and led to extensive residential construction around the older city.