There are no written documents about Valdemoro until the 12th century, but its origin may be associated to a small farmhouse in the area of influence of Toledo, after Alfonso VI conquered all the kingdom in 1085.
After the Reconquest, secular and ecclesiastic institutions fought many times to obtain territory extensions of the Muslims’ properties. These fights also affected Valdemoro and involved the bishops of Segovia and Palencia. Finally, Segovia linked Valdemoro to its territorial domain in 1190, by means of a privilege granted by King Alfonso VIII. The Segovia Council grouped Chinchón, Bayona, Valdelaguna, Villaconejos, Seseña, Ciempozuelos and San Martín de la Vega.
After a period, subject to Segovia Valdemoro became part of the territory under Major Governor of Castile, Hernán Pérez de Portocarrero. At the end of the 14th century it became an ecclesiastic lordship, included in the real estate of the Archbishopric of Toledo. The council could appoint its members with the approval of the Archbishop’s Council. In addition, thanks to Enrique III, the granting of the privilege of “Villa” enabled its gradual economic and social development.
In 1480, the Catholic Monarchs dissociated 1,200 vassals coming from Valdemoro and Casarrubios from the Land of Segovia in the interest of two nobles of their Court, the Marquis and Marchioness of Moya. Although the measure did not involve big changes, it did influence subsequent lawsuits with the neighbours.
Until the last third of the 16th century, Valdemoro remained linked to the properties of the Archbishop’s Board. Cereal and vine were acknowledged as being of high quality in the region.
In 1577, it became a jurisdictional lordship in the hands of noble Melchor de Herrera, Marquis of Auñón. Valdemoro remained in his power until his heirs decided to sell it to one of the most influential characters of the time: Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma and King Felipe III’s favourite. The new proprietor made the most of the privileged location of the “Villa” on the way from the Court to the Real Sitio de Aranjuez to honour the monarchs.
On the 18th century, after a period of great decay, Valdemoro recovered once again some economic stability with José Aguado Correa, noble courtier, from the “Villa”. Aguado established a factory of fine cloths in the “Villa”, seeking the protection of new doctrines of the Borbons. Aguado, his factory and the workers received great privileges.
In the 19th century, socio-economic features were transformed, and the agricultural economy turned into an industrial one, based on the exploitation of gypsum. But the War of Independence brought great ruin to the population.
In 1822, the territorial planning carried out by Javier de Burgos included Valdemoro within the newly formed province of Madrid. With the new economic and technological developments, the town participated in the drafting of the railway line from Madrid to Aranjuez in 1851. Later on, the establishment of the Professional Association of Young Guards on the old plots where the cloth factory was (1855) considerably modified the characteristics of the population.
In the 20th century, as a result of the Civil War, the population suffered important losses again and it took years to recover the socio-economic stability. Until the 1960’s its lifestyle relied on farming and on the exploitation of gypsum quarries, but the lack of modernisation caused all factories to shut down.
The industrial expansion during the last 25 years of the century in Valdemoro helped create the large number of industries that are located in the industrial estates in Valdemoro.
