Pere Maria Orts i Bosch (5 July 1921 – 26 February 2015)[1] was a Valencian writer, historian, researcher, heraldist and art collector. He was a member of the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (Valencian Language Academy) and was awarded the High Distinction of the Generalitat Valenciana in 2006.
He was born on the city of Valencia on 5 July 1921. He went to the High School in the Piarist School of Valencia. Although he graduated in Law from in the University of Valencia in 1945, and his historian grandfather Pere Maria Orts i Berdin (1839) was a judge of the Superior Court of Valencia, he never practiced it.
When he was 45 years-old, Orts moved to Benidorm, where his paternal family lived, to conduct research directly related to la Marina (Marina Alta and Marina Baixa). His main goal was to find documents and works of art that were actually from the ancient Kingdom of Valencia, hoping to complete Valencian patrimony and part of its lost history. As an art sponsor, he enlarged his family heritage by buying many works of art. He searched for unique objects in libraries, archives and museums outside Valencian Country, eventually donating most of them to Valencian public institutions, particularly to:
Among his other donations were 3 tapestries, 7 chalices, several candelabrums, 9 pieces of furniture, and even a silver writing desk.
He died on 26 February 2015.[2]
Works Orts wrote himself included:
Additionally, he wrote many articles about the history of Benidorm and the toponymy of the Marina Baixa in a review of the local holidays of Benidorm, many prologues for other books, and articles for collective works. He also collaborated with studies about genealogy and heraldry in the Great Encyclopedia of the Valencian Region (1972–77).