Ibi's present location was possibly host of a small Iberian civilization,
possibly coming from the there word IBI, which would correspond today
to an Iberian word that means "zone or place between rivers",
wich are today the dry channels of the rivers Caixes and the Gavarnera
.
Ibi, at the times of the iberian Reconquest, would be one or several
small farmhouses. Thanks to the pacts contracted with Jaime I, Zeid
Abu Zeit, old king almohade of Valencia and ally of the Aragonese monarch,
takes possession from this territory, which is given to its son-in-law
Eiximén Perez d'Arenós. By means of an exchange they would
pass over to king Jaime I possession. During century XIV it belonged
to the feudal gentlemen of Cocentaina, Plans and others, and back to
the monarchs again, the last of them being Mosen Francisco Pertussa,
who sold it to the neighboring locality of Xixona. In 1578 is declared
University by Felipe II and, years later, in 1629, obtains the definitive
emancipation when granted the condition of Real Villa .
In the course of the Succession War, the towns of Foya de Castalla region
showed their fidelity to future King Felipe V, which was worth to Ibi
the titles Noble, Loyal and Faithful . In addition occured the privilege
that it could add to the village shield some signal of fidelity, and
the dog was placed.
Until century XIX the main source of income was the agriculture, to
which it was added the ice cream industry of artisan type and the commerce
of the ice. From this last activity it would derive the refrigerator
industry that had a fast growth, by all national geography and great
part of the foreigner, from the end of century XIX.
The Shield of Ibi is approved in 1987, whose organization is of the
following form:
Shield of Spanish form. Cut and divided, in the first and second quarter
made of silver, a tower in red adorned with silver; third quarter, in
field of gold, an uplifted dog of saber. In the center of the head,
a losang shield with four woods of red in gold field. To right and left
of the border, outside the shield two capital L's, of gold. Under the
shield and outside him, a band or flagelum of silver, with the legend
"Ibi Regii Patrimonii", in red. Stamp of the real crown of
Spain enclosing, with eight diademas of which five are visible.
Both castles drawn in the coat of arms of the villa were constructed
during the Arab domination, the "Vell" in the Precipice of
the Mills and the hill of Santa Lucia the "Vermell".
