VALLA, LORENZO, or LAURENTIUS, the greatest Latin scholar of his time, was born at Rome, according to Drakenborch, in 1407, but other authors date his birth some five or six years later. He was the son of a distinguished lawyer, and was educated in his native city under the charge of Aurispa. Valla subsequently taught rhetoric at Pavia, Milan, and Naples, with great acceptance. He was fortunate enough, while resident in the latter city, to gain the friendship of king Alphonso I., who subsequently saved him from the flames of the Inquisition, to which he was condemned for having maintained some heretical doctrine in a theological dispute with his opponents Beccadelli, Facius, and Poggio. While at Naples, the fame of Valla as a scholar and critic was greatly extended. Going to Rome, he became a canon of St John in the Lateran, but his literary and theological brawls compelled the pope to order him from Rome. He was the first to attack the accuracy of Livy at a time when he had as well have impugned the memory of the apostle Peter. He subsequently successfully justified himself before his holiness, and was appointed professor of rhetoric at Rome with a handsome salary. His works, which are partly critical and partly historical, are much sought after by scholars. His life was imbibed by the slanderous literary warfare which he waged against his opponents. He died at Rome in 1457 or 1465. Niebuhr the historian discovered his tomb in an out of the way part of the city of Rome, and caused it again to be replaced in the church of St John, Lateran. A detailed account of the life of Valla is given by Drakenborch in the 7th volume of his edition of Livy.
Valladolid. VALLADOLID, a province of Spain, Old Castile, bounded on the N. by those of Leon and Palencia, E. by those of Burgos and Segovia, S. by those of Avila and Salamanca, and W. by that of Zamora; area, 2984 square miles. It is throughout a flat country, except where a few hills interrupt the uniformity of the surface; and it belongs to the basin of the Douro, which flows from E. to W., and within the limits of the province receives from the N. the Pisuerga. The other rivers of the province are of smaller size, and the most important of them are the Duraton, Cega, Eresma, Zapardief, and Trabancos, joining the Douro from the south; the Egulda, joining the Pisuerga, from the east; and the Valderaduey, with its affluent the Seguillo, which cross the extreme north-west of the province, and join the Douro from the N. near Zamora. The country watered by these rivers is of great fertility, and produces corn, so excellent in quality and abundant in quantity, that it is sometimes called one of the granaries of the peninsula. Besides the ordinary kinds of corn and pulse, the province produces hemp, flax, fruits, red and white wine, oil, madder, &c. Some of the hills are covered with fine forests of oak and other timber, which is used for building, for firewood, and for making charcoal. The pastures are extensive; and large numbers of horses, cattle, and sheep are reared; while honey, wax, and silk are also among the productions of the country. The woollen fabrics made here were once highly esteemed; but this branch of industry has now very much declined, and the only manufactures at present in the town are those of paper, earthenware, leather, and hats. Some trade is carried on, facilitated by the canal of Castile, which traverses the province. Pop. (1857) 244,033.