UNIT 6

THE HISPANIC CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS

 INDEX
① THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN SPAIN ④ THE CROW OF CASTILE
a) CHRISTIAN SURVIVAL IN THE NORTH. a) GOVERNMENT OF THE CROW OF CASTILE.
b) THE KINGDOM OF ASTURIAS. b) MUNUCIPAL GOVERNMENT.
c) COUNTIES AND KINGDOMS OF THE c) THE ECONOMY.
PYRENEES. d) CONFLICTS IN CASTILE (Late Middle Ages)

② THE EMERGENCE OF THE ⑤ THE CROW OF ARAGÓN

CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS a) INSTITUTIONS
a) THE KINGDOMS OF LEÓN AND CASTILE. b) EXPANSION ACROSS THE
b) THE KINGDOM OF NAVARRE. MEDITERRANEAN.
c) FROM THE KINGDOM OF ARAGÓN TO c) THE ECONOMY.
THE CROW OF ARAGÓN. d) CONFLICTS IN ARAGON (Late Middle
Ages)

③ RECONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT

a) THE RECONQUEST. ⑥ THE LATE MIDDLE AGES
b) SETTLEMENT IN THE CONQUERED a) CONFLICTS IN CASTILE (se pasa al punto
TERRITORIES. 4.d)
b) CONFLICTS IN ARAGÓN (se pasa al punto
4.d)
①The origins of Christian Spain
a) Christian survival in the north:
 From 711 (Batalla de Guadalete), the Muslims conquered most of the
Iberian Peninsula, but they never took full control of the north.
 ①The origins of Christian Spain
 In the 8th and 9th centuries, a group of small Christian states were
precursors of the later Hispanic kingdoms.

 Al-Andalus and a series

of Christian states
existed together on the
Iberian Peninsula:
 they traded and
exchanged
knowledge.
 They fought each
other.

 10th century: the

Christian kings grew in
power and began to take
Muslim territories.
①The origins of Christian Spain
b) The Kingdom of Asturias:
 Pelayo defeated the Muslims on the Battle of Covadonga in 722: minor
confrontation, considered the start of the Christian Reconquest.
 Over two centuries, the
Kingdom of Asturias
expanded southwards
into Al-Andalus.
 Oviedo was its capital
city.

Alfonso III (886-910) took advantage of conflicts in the

emirate of Córdoba to advanced into the Duero river
valley.
①The origins of Christian Spain
b) The Kingdom of Asturias:

722
722
Batalla
Batalla de
de Covadonga
Covadonga

Kingdom
Kingdom of
of Asturias
Asturias
Oviedo
Oviedo capital
capital city
city
In the 10th century, the capital
was moved to the city of León,
and the kingdom became known
10th
10th century
century
as the Kingdom of León.
Kingdom
Kingdom of
of León
León
①The origins of Christian Spain
c) Counties and kingdoms of the Pyrenees:
 Hispanic March: defensive
frontier region, wich was
part of the Carolingian
Empire (Charlemagne)

 9th century Carolingian

Empire broke apart, three
separate regions developed:
o Navarre
o Aragón
o Catalan Counties

Navarre
Navarre
Hispanic
Aragón
Aragón
March Catalan
Catalan Counties
Counties
①The origins of Christian Spain
Count Iñigo
King of Kingdom of
Arista expelled
Pamplona Navarre
Frankish

In
In the
the early
early 9th
9th century,
century, Count
Count Iñigo Arista expelled
expelled
Frankish
Frankish troops
troops from
from Pamplona
Pamplona and
and declared
declared himself
himself
King
King ofof Pamplona.
Pamplona. His kingdom expanded southwards
southwards
and
and itit later
later became
became the
the Kingdom of
of Navarre.
Navarre.
①The origins of Christian Spain
9th century,
century, the
the counties
counties of
of Aragón,
Aragón, Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe and Ribagorza broke
away from
from Carolingian, and Count Aznar Galíndez rose to power in
Aragón.

At the end of the 9th century, the Count of

Urgell, Wilfredo the Hairy, expanded his
territories and won independence from
Frankish rulers.
 • Count Iñigo Arista
• Kingdom of
Navarre
Navarre Pamplona
• Kingdom of Navarre

• Aragón, Sobrarbe y
Ribagorza
Aragón
Aragón • Count Aznar
Galíndez

Catalan
Catalan • Wilfredo the Hairy,
Counties
Counties count of Urgell.
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
a) The kingdoms of León and Castile:
 Medieval kingdoms were not like modern states: they expanded if they
conquered new territories, but they were also divided as a result of inheritance.
 León and Castile:
 were closely linked to each other
 were sometimes ruled by the same monarch, and sometimes formed
separate kingdoms.

Castile was a group of counties

near the frontier with Al-
Andalus (zone of
conflict/castles were built)
León was an important
Christian kingdom (10th-
11th centuries)
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
a) The kingdoms of León and Castile:
In
In the
the 10
10 th
th century,
century, Count
Count Fernán
Fernán González
González made
made Castile
Castile
autonomous
autonomous (being
(being aa vassal
vassal of
of Kingdom
Kingdom of
of León).
León).

The
The power
power andand influence
influence of
of Castile
Castile increased
increased with
with
Fernando
Fernando I,I, who
who was
was King
King of
of Castile,
Castile, and
and also
also King
King of
of León
León..

After
After Fernando’s
Fernando’s death
death the
the kingdoms
kingdoms were
were divided
divided as
as
inheritance.
inheritance.

1230
1230
Fernando
Fernando III
III inherited
inherited the
the Kingdom
Kingdom ofof Castile
Castile and
and the
the
Kingdom
Kingdom ofof León.
León.
CROWN
CROWN OF OF CASTILE
CASTILE
 ②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
a) The kingdoms of León and Castile:

Portugal: becoming
independent in th
mid-12th century.

The Crow of Castile:

o Emerged as the largest and
strongest kingdom on the Iberian
Peninsula (12th and 13th centuries).
o Played a key role in the
Reconquest, which brought it
prestige and new territories.
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
b) The kingdom of Navarre:
 From the 10th century, Navarre was ruled by the Jimena dynasty.

 Sancho III the Great (el Mayor)

of Navarra:

 Was the most powerful

Christian king on the
Peninsula.

 Through marriage,
vassalage and military
force, Sancho III acquired
the counties of Aragón,
Castile and part of León
(the largest Christian
power on the Peninsula)
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
b) The kingdom of Navarre:
 His kingdom broke up after his death (1035), because Sancho III made will
(Sancho’s inheritance) and shared his territories between their descendants.

Sancho III

Gonzalo
García
García Sánchez
Sánchez Fernando I Ramiro
Ramiro II
Count
Count of
of Sobrarbe
Sobrarbe
King
King of
of Navarre King
King of
of Castile
Castile King of Aragón
Aragón
and
and Ribagorza
Ribagorza
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
b) The kingdom of Navarre:
 The last king of the Jimena dynasty was Sancho VII the Strong (Navas de
Tolosa 1212), who died without descendants (13th century). After that, new
dynasties with links to France came to power.

 In 1512, Navarre was conquered by Fernando the Catholic. And became part
of the Crown of Castile.
②The emergence of the Christian kingdoms
c) From the Kingdom of Aragón to the Crown of Aragón:
 In the 10th century, the County of Aragón became part of the Kingdom of
Navarre.

 1035 (Sancho III of

Navarra’s inheritance):
Ramiro I was the first King
of Aragón. After his
brother death he
annexed (took control of)
Ribagorza and Sobrarbe.
 1137: Ramón Berenguer IV, Count
of Barcelona, married Petronila of
Aragón. This united Aragón and
the Catalan counties, and led to
the creation of the Crown of
Aragón.
③Reconquest and settlement
a) The Reconquest:
 Over many centuries, the Christian
kingdoms expanded southwards by
conquering Muslim lands.

 This process was called the Reconquest

(Reconquista) because the Christian
kings believed that they were the heirs
of the Visigoths, and the Iberian
Peninsula belonged to them
historically.

Battle of Puig de Santa María (1237)

Author: Marzal de Sas
Moorish and Christian
Reconquista battle,
taken from the
Cantigas de Santa María
③Reconquest and settlement
The Reconquista was a long and irregular process:

 Duero:

● In the 9th and 10th

centuries, Asturias and Duero
then León advanced
towards the Duero river
valley.
● The Muslims never
settled in the north-west
in large numbers.
● Peaceful settlement
sometimes took place
when groups of Christian
peasants moved into
uninhabited areas and
built villages.
 Castile and León advanced
beyond the Central System
 Tajo and Ebro (11th and and into the Tajo river
12th century): valley.

● After the break-up of the

Caliphate of Córdoba in
1031, the taifas could not
Ebro
offer united resistance
Tajo

● The Muslim rulers made

tribute payments (or
parias) to reduce Christian
attacks, but the Christian
kings used the gold that
they received to build The Crown of Aragón
castles and form strong advanced into the Ebro
armies. river valley, and conquered
Zaragoza.
 Guadiana, Guadalquivir y Levante (13th century):

• In the 13th century the Christian kingdoms united their forces and won a
great victory against the Muslims in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in
1212. The fall of Al-Andalus began.
The Crown of Aragón
conquered Valencia
and the Balearic
Islands.

e
ant
Guadiana

Guadalquivir Lev Castile conquered

Andalusia and
Murcia.
Portugal
conquered the
Algarve.
b) Settlement in the conquered territories:

As the kingdoms advanced southwards,

Christian populations settled in the new territories
Repopulation

The
The Christian
Christian kingdoms
kingdoms occupied many
many uninhabited
areas
areas around River Duero and
and River
River Ebro.

In
In order
order to
to attract
attract settlers,
settlers, the
the kings
kings granted them
privileges and rights in aa charter
charter or
or fuero
fuero

The land was

was mainly farmed by by free
free peasants,
peasants, who
who
received
received plots
plots of
of land
land in
in exchange
exchange for
for settling
settling in
in an
an
area
area
 distribution Muslims
Muslims land
land was
was mainly
mainly given
given to
to nobles
nobles in
in return
return for
for their
their role
role
in
in the
the Reconquest.
Reconquest. They
They created
created large
large estates,
estates, which
which stayed
stayed in
in
Land

their
their families
families for
for several
several generations.
generations.

In
In some
some regions,
regions, the
the Muslims
Muslims were
were allowed
allowed toto keep
keep their
their land
land in
in
return
return for
for the
the payment
payment of
of special
special taxes.
taxes.

In
In some
some dangerous
dangerous frontier
frontier areas,
areas, the
the Christian
Christian kings
kings gave
gave the
the
military
military orders
orders of
of warrior-monks
warrior-monks the
the responsibility
responsibility for
for
conquering
conquering and
and defending
defending territories.
territories.
Military
Orders

Like
Like the
the nobility,
nobility, the
the military
military
orders
orders were
were allowed
allowed to
to build
build
up
up large
large estates
estates
Castile:
Castile: Alcántara,
Alcántara, Calatrava
Calatrava
and
and Santiago.
Santiago.
The
The most
most powerful
powerful
orders
orders
Aragon:
Aragon:
Montesa
Montesa
 ④ The Crown of Castile
a) Government of the Crown of Castile

Territories KING
governed by the  Rules.
same institutions  Applies and changes laws.
and shared the  Administres justice.
same laws  Declares war.

PARLIAMENT
 Made up of noblemen,
the clergy and
TREASURY representatives from the
ROYAL COUNCIL HIGH COURT cities.
(Consejo Real) (Audiencia)  Under the king.
Manages the
Advises the Held judicial  Votes on taxes request
economy of
king. authority. by the king.
the kingdom.
 Makes request by the
king.
 Advises the king.
b) Municipal government:
Municipal
Municipal
There
There were
were government
government waswas
elected
elected pisitions
pisitions controlled
controlled by
by lesser
lesser
As
As cities became
and
and others
others noblemen
noblemen and
and
wealthier,
wealthier, wealthy
wealthy merchants.
merchants.
city
city governments
governments appointed
appointed by by the
the
king.
king.
gained
gained inin importance.
importance.

Was
Was the
the main
main governing
governing body.
body.

Council
Council At
At first
first the
the councils
councils included
included all
all residents.
residents.
(Concejo)
They
They were
were later
later governed
governed byby councillors
councillors (regidores),
(regidores),
City government

who
who held
held their
their positions
positions for
for life.
life.
Mayor
Mayor
Local
Local official.
official.
(Alcalde)
(Alcalde)
This
This official
official represented
represented the
the king
king in
in cities.
cities.
Chief
Chief magistrate
magistrate
(Corregidor) He
He performed
performed military
military and
and judicial functions.
judicial functions
c) Economy:
Early
Early years
years of
of the
the Reconquest
Reconquest

ItIt was
was difficult
difficult to
to develop
develop agriculture
agriculture inin frontier
frontier regions
regions because
because Muslim
Muslim
raiders
raiders could
could attack
attack aa village
village and
and destroy
destroy its
its crops.
crops.

Sheep
Sheep grazing
grazing did
did not
not require
require aa large
large work
work force
force and
and the
the sheep
sheep could
could be
be
moved
moved rapidly
rapidly to
to aa safe
safe place.
place. ItIt was
was also
also possible
possible to
to graze
graze sheep
sheep on
on fairly
fairly
poor
poor soil.
soil.

Transhumance
Transhumance developed
developed on
on aa very
very large
large scale:
scale: sheep
sheep grazed
grazed in
in northern
northern
Castile
Castile in
in the
the summer,
summer, and
and were
were taken
taken south
south along
along routes
routes called
called cañadas
cañadas in
in
the
the winter.
winter.

In
In the
the 13th
13th century
century the
the merino
merino sheep
sheep was
was introduced,
introduced, which
which gave
gave high
high
quality
quality wool.
wool. Some
Some Castilian
Castilian wool
wool was
was exported,
exported, for
for example
example to
to Flanders.
Flanders.
c) Economy:
As
As the
the Christians
Christians consolidated
consolidated their
their
control
control over
over the
the territory
territory

Agriculture
Agriculture developed
developed and
and there
there were
were frequent
frequent disputes
disputes between
between crop
crop
farmers
farmers and
and sheep
sheep ranchers.
ranchers.

The
The main
main sheep
sheep owners
owners united
united in
in an
an association
association called
called the
the Mesta,
Mesta, which
which
was
was granted
granted many
many privileges
privileges by
by the
the monarch.
monarch.

Sheep
Sheep ranching
ranching contributed
contributed to
to the
the immense
immense wealth
wealth of
of the
the Castilian
Castilian
aristocracy.
aristocracy.

The
The sale
sale of
of wool
wool and
and cloth
cloth stimulated
stimulated artisanal
artisanal activity
activity and
and trade.
trade. There
There
was
was aa boom
boom in
in trade
trade fairs,
fairs, like
like the
the fair
fair in
in Medina
Medina del
del Campo,
Campo, Valladolid.
Valladolid.
 d) Conflicts in Castile during the Late Middle Ages:
The Late Middle Ages were a period of conflicts and tensions
throughout the Iberian Peninsula, and also in Castile:

Economic crisis Peasants revolts Noble rebellions

Bad harvests, Fewer people = the Nobles tried to take each

famines and nobles received less other's lands and pressured
epidemics in the income the king to be given more land
14th century. and power.
They raised taxes
Rebellion led by Enrique of
Population fell and on the peasantry,
Trastámara against his brother,
agriculture land was which led to
King Pedro I, and meant the
abandoned peasants revolts
beginning of the Trastámara
against the nobility.
dynasty in Castile.

Enrique rewarded his

Despite
Despite these
these conflicts,
conflicts, supporters, but the fighting
the
the Crown
Crown of
of Castile
Castile continued
continued toto expand.
expand. between nobles and the
monarchy continued.
 ⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
a) Institutions The Crow of Aragon was a federation of
states, each territory:
KING • mantained its own laws, institutions
Made up of the Catalan counties and the kingdoms

● Head of all and customs.

institutions. • had its own parliament or cortes
● Less power than in
of Aragón, Valencia and Mallorca.

Castile
PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT
OF ARAGÓN OF CATALONIA OF VALENCIA
TREASURY
● Confirm the king´s decisions.
● Approve taxes or laws requested by the
JUDICIAL king
INSTITUTIONS ● Manage how taxes are spent.

ROYAL COUNCIL DIPUTACIÓN GENERALITAT GENERALITAT

● No government OF ARAGÓN OF CATALONIA OF VALENCIA
duties.
● A council in each Supervise government when parliaments
kingdom. are not meeting.
⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
a) Institutions
 THE JUSTICIA: In Catalonia and Valencia, the
Generalitat had an administrative role. So they
named an official called, the Justicia. He
defended people’s rights and privileges in
Aragon.
 CITY COUNCILS: Developed considerebla
autonomy in the Crow of Aragon. The city
council of Barcelona was espacially important.
⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
b) Expansion across the Mediterranean
 Aragon expanded on the Iberian Peninsula, although less than Castile.
 Therefore, they focus their expansion in the Mediterranean.

12th
12th century:
century: Alfonso
Alfonso II
the
the Battler
Battler conquered
conquered
the
the Ebro
Ebro valley
valley
⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
b) Expansion across the Mediterranean

13th
13th century:
century:
Jaime
Jaime II the
the Conqueror
Conqueror
took
took Valencia,
Valencia, Alicante,
Alicante,
Muncia
Muncia andand the
the
Balearic
Balearic Islands.
Islands.
⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
b) Expansion across the Mediterranean

The
The Crown
Crown of
of Aragon
Aragon became
became aa
major
major Mediterranean
Mediterranean power.
power.

From
From the the late
late
13th
13th century,
century,
Pedro
Pedro the the Great
Great
and
and his
his
successors
successors
conquered
conquered
Sicily,
Sicily, Sardinia,
Sardinia,
Naples,
Naples, andand the
the
Duchies
Duchies of of
Athens
Athens and and
Neopatras
Neopatras ((
Almogávares).
Almogávares).
⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
c) Economy

There were important differences between the kingdoms.

Aragón Catalonia Valencia

Was essantially Manufacturing Barcelona: great

rural: agriculture industry: textiles, trading centre. Secondary trading
and livestock ironwork and centre.
farming. naval
construction.
 ⑤ The Crown of Aragon.
Thanks
Thanks to
to commercial
commercial growth,
growth,
there
there was
was much
much more
more important
important
Importance of international trade. bourgeoisie
bourgeoisie in
in the
the Crown
Crown of of Aragón
Aragón
than
than inin Castile.
Castile.

The
The Crown
Crown of
of Aragón
Aragón
maintained
maintained
international
international trade
trade
links.
links.
CONSULATES OF THE SEA:
• Merchants from Catalonia, Valencia and Mallorca set up
consulates of the sea in other conuntries.
• The consulates were offices that settled disputes between
merchants.
• Their rules were set out in the Book of the Consulate of the
Sea, which influenced international maritime law.
d) Conflicts in Aragón during the Late Middle Ages:

The Black Death caused an extremely high number of

1348
1348 deaths in Catalonia, and it was followed by other
epidemics.

Trastámara dynasty took power. Martin I died with no

1412 heirs and Fernando de Antequera was named king.

14th and
There were many social conflicts in the countryside
15th (Remensa peasants) and in cities (Barcelona)
centuries

* This series of conflicts, along with demographic and

ces economic decline, affected Catalonia especially.
Consecuen
* Valencia emerged as the main port of the Crown of Aragon.
 d) Conflicts in Aragón during the Late Middle Ages:
There
There were
were fewer
fewer peasants
peasants
(epidemics).
(epidemics).

Mid-15th
Mid-15th The
The nobility
nobility imposed
imposed extra
extra
century
century taxes
taxes and
and obligations
obligations

Remensa
Remensa peasants
peasants (who
(who
were
were tied
tied to
to the
the land)
land)
Peasant
Peasant revolts
revolts rebelled
rebelled against
against the
the
(Remensa
(Remensa nobility.
nobility.
peasants)
peasants)
Civil
Civil war:
war: Juan
Juan IIII was
was in
in
King
King Juan
Juan IIII favour
favour of
of some
some reforms,
reforms,
Conflicts
Conflicts in
in the
the including
including favourable
favourable
Crow
Crow of
of Aragon
Aragon (late
(late 15th
15th conditions
conditions for
for the
the remensa
remensa
century)
century) peasants.
peasants. TheThe nobles
nobles did
did
(14th
(14th and
and 15th
15th
centuries)
centuries) not
not agree.
agree.
La
La Biga:The
Biga:The party
party of
of
the
the nobles
nobles and
and rich
rich
merchants
merchants defended
defended
Urban
Urban conflicts:
conflicts: traditional
traditional privileges.
privileges.
Barcelona
Barcelona
La
La Busca:
Busca: They
They were
were
opposed
opposed by
by an
an alliance
alliance of
of
smaller
smaller merchants,
merchants, artisans
artisans
and
and poor
poor people
people