City (pop., 2001: 316,580), capital of the autonomous community of Castile-León , Spain.
First mentioned in 1074, it was the seat of the Castilian court until с 1600. The Catholic Monarchs, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, were married there in 1469. It suffered heavy damage by fire in 1561 and by the French during the Peninsular War . Industry and commerce are economic mainstays. It has many medieval buildings, and its university (founded 1346) is one of Spain's oldest. Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506.