The awarded work, titled Historias cruzadas: la participación de Murcia en la Guerra de Sucesión desde la óptica orcelitana, analyzes how Orihuela lost its dominant position within the governorship and began a process of assimilation into Castilian culture, despite maintaining symbols of its identity linked to the Crown of Aragon.

The research highlights that, during the conflict between 1701 and 1713, Orihuela largely supported Archduke Charles of Austria, becoming a strategic point for allied troops. In contrast, the Kingdom of Murcia remained loyal to Philip V, and the Bourbon resistance was key to the final victory.

Orihuela's decision to support Archduke Charles was influenced by the defense of its charters and privileges, which were threatened by the actions of the king and his ministers. The loss of Valencian language and the attempt to assimilate Castilian customs were consequences of the implementation of the Nueva Planta, although the city continued to display symbols of its cultural identity.

The study concludes that the governorship of Orihuela was dismembered before the Nueva Planta decrees, with an exchange of power and importance with Alicante. The War of Succession symbolized the beginning of the decline for the prestige and splendor that the capital of the governorship had achieved during the chartered period.