Valenza (Valensa in Piedmontese) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Turin and about 11 kilometres (7 mi) north of Alessandria.

A stronghold of the Ligures, it was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC, and became a forum as Forum Fulvii Valentinum, having law jurisdiction and a market. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, most of the population moved from the hills of the previous settlement to live where the current town is. It was ravaged by the Burgundians and ruled by the Lombards. After the Frank conquest of northern Italy, it became part of the mark of Montferrat.

Overshadowed by the power of the nearby Alessandria, it attracted the attentions of Galeazzo I Visconti, duke of Milan, but his plot to capture the city failed. The Viscount were however able to conquer Valenza in 1370. Later the town was sacked by the French troops (1499 and 1515), reconquered by the Spaniards (1521) under Charles V (1521) and then again captured by the French (1523). However, in the latter year it was given back to Charles V. Again surrendered to the French in 1557, it finally was assigned to Spain in 1559 by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis.

In 1635, during the Thirty Years' War, Valenza resisted for 6 days a siege from French, Parmense and Savoyard troops. During the later part of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–59), it again withstood a French siege in 1641, but in 1656, after 70 days of siege, it capitulated to French, Savoyard and Modenese troops.

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