Conflictos sociales y poder concejil en una villa de señorío. Peñafiel (1425-1443)

Abstract

Peñafiel is a good example of the increasing struggle for power in the cities and towns in Spain in the Late Middle Ages. Between 1425 and 1443, the Castilian town of Peñafiel was the lordship of Juan of Aragon (Juan II of Navarre). During these years, successive lawsuits, which refl ect this struggle for power between the various pressure groups, were brought before the lord, Juan of Aragon, and even before the King of Castile, Juan II. Among these groups, and of special interest, is the appearance of a peasant “oligarchy”, eager to participate in the division of political power, which had until then been in the hands of the minor aristocracy.

Keywords

• Peñafiel
• Castile
• Juan of Aragon
• Municipal power
• Urban oligarchies
• Social conflicts