Pere Alcanyís (1497-1522)

I am Pere Alcanyís, velvet-worker, follower of Vicent Peris, and captain of the armies of the Germanía.

I am an official of the terciopeleros and, as such, for nearly three years my life has been the HolyGermanía, our saintly brotherhood of artisans and laborers. The Germanía has shown that everything can change. Thanks to us, by St. John's last year, the Municipal Council finally appointed two jurats of the lower hand, lowered taxes, and also faced off against the mascarats. Brotherhoods were formed by all sorts of cities, towns, and villages throughout the kingdom—even Mallorca!—and, in Castille, theCommunities acted up. But the king acted wrongly against us and sent a new viceroy, the Count of Melito. No one—his troops, paid with jewels, nor the effort of the Duke of Gandia and his Moors, nor any other noble--could beat us. Near the monastery of San Jeronimo, under the command the innkeeperEsteve Urgellés, we defeated them and marched triumphantly through Gandia, Xativa and Denia, now under the leadership of our esteemed terciopelero, Vicent Peris. On our way many baptized so manyMuslims that infidelity seemed to disappear from the kingdom and that, at the end of the day, justice would finally come true on Earth. But now we have lost almost everything. We only have Xativa and Alzira, but our Lord will not abandon us.  I am certain He will be on our side.