Land, Power, and Society in Medieval Castile: A Study of "Behetría" Lordship

This work offers an up-to-date discussion of medieval Castilian lordship and social relations, approached through an analysis of 'behetría' lordship, a power-structure of fundamental importance in medieval Castile. The origins of 'behetría' lordship, a complex phenomenon in both theory and practice, are obscure. Knowledge of the 'behetrías' has therefore hitherto been limited to a narrow circle of traditionalist, highly specialized legal historians. The present volume redresses this imbalance, as its various contributors explore the question of 'behetría' lordship from a broad social perspective, thereby demonstrating the crucial role played by this seigneurial structure within medieval Castilian society. This collection of essays thus focuses less on legal intricacies than on deeper social, territorial, and political issues, which are also examined in relation to other better-known forms of lordship exercised both within Castile and beyond. This volume provides rich historical material on medieval Castile rarely available to an English readership; it represents a gateway to a wealth of relatively little-known literature and information on the social history of medieval Spain, and will provide an invaluable tool for comparative research. This work offers an up-to-date discussion of medieval Castilian lordship and social relations, approached through an analysis of behetria lordship, a power-structure of fundamental importance in medieval Castile. The origins of behetria lordship, a complex phenomenon in both theory and practice, are obscure. Knowledge of the behetrias has therefore hitherto been limited to a narrow circle of traditionalist, highly specialized legal historians. The present volume redresses this imbalance, as its various contributors explore the question of behetria lordship from a broad social perspective, thereby demonstrating the crucial role played by this seigneurial structure within medieval Castilian society. This collection of essays thus focuses less on legal intricacies than on deeper social, territorial, and political issues, which are also examined in relation to other better-known forms of lordship exercised both within Castile and beyond. This volume provides rich historical material on medieval Castile rarely available to an English readership; it represents a gateway to a wealth of relatively little-known literature and information on the social history of medieval Spain, and will provide an invaluable tool for comparative research List of Maps vii List of Tables ix Acknowledgments xi Castilian 'Behetría' Lordship: From Current Perspectives towards a European Context / CARLOS ESTEPA DÍEZ AND CRISTINA JULAR PÉREZ-ALFARO 1 Supra-local Territorial Units: On the Origins of 'Behetría' Lordship / JULIO ESCALONA MONGE 29 'Behetría' Lordship and Royal Power / CARLOS ESTEPA DÍEZ 59 The Lordships of the Rojas Family Group in 1352 / IGNACIO ÁLVAREZ BORGE 89 Nobility and Patronage: The Velascos, a Case Study / CRISTINA JULAR PÉREZ-ALFARO 177 'Solariego' Peasants in Castile’s Late Medieval 'Behetrías' / LUIS MARTÍNEZ GARCÍA 229 Conflict in the 'Behetrías' / ISABEL ALFONSO ANTÓN 275 Sources and Bibliography 317 Contributors 329 Glossary 333 Castilian Behetría Lordship : From Current Perspectives Towards A European Context / Carlos Estepa Díez And Cristina Jular Pérez-alfaro -- Supra-local Territorial Units : On The Origins Of Behetría Lordship / Julio Escalona Monge -- Behetría Lordship And Royal Power / Carlos Estepa Díez -- The Lordships Of The Rojas Family Group In 1352 / Ignacio Álvarez Borge -- Nobility And Patronage : The Velascos, A Case Study / Cristina Jular Pérez-alfaro -- Solariego Peasants In Castile's Late Medieval Behetrías / Luis Martínez García -- Conflict In The Behetrías / Isabel Alfonso Antón. Edited By Cristina Jular Pérez-alfaro And Carlos Estepa Díez. Includes Bibliographical References.