Redován


Redován is a municipality in the comarca of Vega Baja del Segura in the Valencian Community, Spain.
This town is located at the feet of the Sierra de Callosa mountain range.
Redovan is one of the Vega Baja villages of the southern Costa Blanca, Spain. Located in the Alicante province, on a sparsely vegetated plain at the foot of the Sierra Segura, approximately 7 km from Orihuela.
Although the town was founded by the Moors during the Arab conquest. The area has always attracted settlers mostly because of its importance in agriculture due largely to the basin being irrigated by the Segura river, though there have often problems as the area is prone to flooding.
Redovan's early history is dominated by the Arabs and there is little doubt that the name of the village is derived from the Arabic language, despite there being some confusion as to the actual origin of the name. Some say that name derives from a famous general of the Moorish King of Granada named Farax Ben Redvan who invaded and plundered the village in 1331. Others refer to the “Book of Distributions” in Orihuela which mentions the name “Aben-Redvan” relating to a time much earlier than 1331.
A 16th-century historian attributes the name to the family of Redouanes who were Moorish noblemen from Granada.Redovan and the whole area suffered a great pestilence in 1347 and this lasted until 1351 this ravaged the agriculture of the area and many of its residents re-settled in the city of Orihuela. During this time the town was often plundered by bandits and renegades. The plague hit again in 1374 and in 1383.
Redovan and its people were also greatly affected by the constant wars between the Kingdoms of Valencia and Aragon. During the 17th Century Redovan enjoyed a period of improved wealth and prosperity due to successes in agriculture, important crops at the time being grapes, vegetables, wheat, olives and the mulberry.