UNIT 8.

THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

DURING THE MIDDLE AGES
 Review 1st term. What do you know
about Middle Ages?
• When does the Middle Ages begin?
• When does it finish?
• What religion was founded during the Middle Ages?
• What was the main religion in Europe?
• How did people live during the Middle Ages?
• What was the most common system of government? A)
Democracy b) Monarchy c) Republic.
• review al - Andalus
 Describe what you can see in the
illustration

Can you identify the different buildings? Which people are Crhistian
and which are Muslims? Explain your answer
 INDEX
1. The Muslim zone: al- Andalus ( 1st
term)
2. The economy and society in al-
Andalus
3. Culture and art in al-Andalus
4. The Christian kingdoms.
Creation, organisation and
reconquista
5. Repopulation, the economy and
society in the Christian kingdoms
6. Culture and art in the Christian
Kingodms
7. The crisis of the Late Middle Ages
Can you say the name of the different
buildings?
1. THE MUSLIM ZONE: AL ANDALUS
1.1. Political developments before the
11th century
The end of the Visigothic Kingdom
 In 710, the Visigoth nobles appointed Rodrigo as king.
However, a group of nobles supported the son of the previuos
King (Vitiza).
 A civil war started, and the supporters of Agila (Vitizas son)
asked the North African Muslims for military aid.
 Musa, governor of Ifriquiya, sent to the Peninsula an army of
Berbers under the command ofTariq, who landed in Gibraltar.
 The Muslims defeated the troops of Don Rodrigo in the Battle
of Guadalete (711).
 the legend of How King Don Rodrigo Lost Spain to the Moors
The legen
Answer the following questions:
 According to the legend, who was the founder of the city of
Toledo?
 What did Don Rodrigo find inside the tower?
 Who was Florinda?
 Why the Count Julián betrayed Don Rodrigo?
 Do you think that could happen in reality?
Battle of Guadalete (711)
The conquer of the Iberian Peninsula
 Musa landed shortly after with a powerful army (Berbers
and Arabs) and conquered Toledo (capital) in 712
 In the following 3 years, the Muslims subdued almost the
entire Peninsula, although they encountered resistance in
the north of the peninsula.
 In 722 the battle of Covadonga took place between the
Asturians under the command of Don Pelayo and the
Muslims.
 The Muslims were defeated and left that region
 Tariq
Tariq video
Map of the conquer of the Iberian
Peninsula
Don Pelayo
 Canción de Pelayo – Avalanch
 who was Don Pelayo?
Causes of the rapid conquest
 The disintegration of the Visigoth army after the battle
of Guadalete
 Greater military efficiency of Muslim soldiers,
motivated by their faith
 Respect for Christians and Jews.
 Alliance of the Muslims with someVisigoth nobles.
 Political development

•Dependent Emirate (711-756)

•Independent Emirate (756-929)
•Córdoba Caliphate (929 – 1031)
•Taifa kingdoms (1031-1085)
•North African Invasions (1085-1212)
•Kingdom of Granada (1212-1492()
 The dependent emirate (711–756
A.D.)
 Al-Andalus was a province dependent on the Umayyad Caliphate
of Damascus
 The Emir was appointed by the governor of North Africa or by the
caliph
 At this stage, almost the entire peninsula is conquered (except for
mountainous areas of the Cantabrian system and the Pyrenees)
 The Muslim advance was stopped in 732 at the Battle of Poitiers.
 The independent emirate (756-929)
 In 750, the Abbasid family
took control of the caliphate, by
assassinating the entire
Umayyad dynasty, except for
Prince Abderramán.
 Abderramán went to al-Andalus
and proclaimed himself an
independent emir in 756
 The religious authority of the
caliph was recognized, but al-
Andalus was politically
independent.
The Córdoba Caliphate(929-1031)
 Abderramán III proclaimed himself caliph, joining the
political power with religious authority
 It is the period of greatest splendor of al-Andalus
 The Christian kingdoms suffered raids (surprise attacks),
such as those carried out by Almanzor
Taifa kingdoms (1031-1086)
 Internal fighting led to the break-up of the Córdoba
Caliphate in 1031, which became divided into small
independent kingdoms called taifas.
 The North African empires (1085–
1212)
 North African peoples, first the Almoravids and later the
Almohads, invaded al-Andalus and subdued the taifa
kingdoms.
2. THE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN AL-
ANDALUS
 2.1. Agriculture and livestock farming
 Agriculture was the main economic activity
 Non-irrigated crops : wheat, grapevines and olives
 The Muslims brought new crops and plants from the East,
such as rice, sugar cane, citrus fruits saffron and cotton
 They introduced the technological advances they knew
about, such as waterwheels, irrigation channels and wells.
Livestock farming
 Sheep farming was widespread (to obtain food and wool)
 Pigeon breeding (for food and for use as messengers).
 Bee-keeping (honey)
2.2. Craftwork and trade
 There were great advances in craftwork. Items such as textiles,
ceramics, glass, iron and leather goods were produced
 Trade prospered due to various factors:
 the peninsula was integrated into the trade routes of the caliphate,
 the strategic position of al-Andalus (between Africa and Europe)

 In the mint (ceca) gold dinars and silver dirhams were produced
 Souks were Muslims markets.
 There was great urban development in al-Andalus, and Córdoba
became the most populated city in Europe.
Souk
Córdoba
Mairit (Madrid)
 La fundación de Madrid
2.3. Muslim society
 Various social groups coexisted in al-Andalus. However, they
had different rights, depending on where they came from and
which religion they followed
Muslims
 Arabs: the dominant social group. They owned large estates,
or latifundia, in the Guadalquivir region
 Berebers: from North Africa. They came to the peninsula to
work as livestock farmers, agricultural workers or soldiers.
They felt discriminated against by the ruling class of Arab
descent.
 Muladies: were the natives of the peninsula who had
converted to Islam. Most of them worked in agriculture
Non Muslims
 They had to obey different laws and payed more taxes
 Mozarabss: Mozarabs were the natives of the peninsula who
had not converted to Islam and maintained their Christian
beliefs.They were crfatspeople
 Jews:They lived in separate neighbourhoods called Jewish
quarters and gathered in their temples, called synagogues.
They were craftspeople, traders, moneylenders…
 Slaves: worked as servants, in the mines and in the hardest
jobs.
Video
 Al-Andalus
 Explain why the Muslim society was opened.
 Only Muslims spoke Arabic?
3. Culture and art in al-Andalus
Culture
 Córdoba, the capital of al-Andalus, became the cultural
centre.
 Many advances and discoveries, such as paper, spread to the
rest of Europe from this city.
 Arabic became the official and cultured language. It
influenced the Romance languages, in which there are
many words of Arabic origin.
 The Córdoba library had 400,000 volumes.
Spanish words that come from Arabic
Culture
 Astronomy: Invention of the astrolabe
 Medicine: Al-Zahauri created modern medicine
 Geography: elaborate detailed maps
 History: Al-razi wrote History of the kings of Al-Andalus
 Philosophy: Averroes, who studied Aristotle
 Mathematics: With outstanding studies in geometry,
algebra, numbering system.
 Literature: The work El Collar de la Paloma stands out.
 Muslim culture
El Collar de la Paloma
 El amor es una dolencia rebelde,
cuya medicina está en sí misma, si
sabemos tratarla; pero es una
dolencia deliciosa y un mal
apetecible, al extremo de que quien
se ve libre de él reniega de su salud y
el que lo padece no quiere sanar.
Torna bello a ojos del hombre
aquello que antes aborrecía, y le
allana lo que antes le parecía difícil
hasta el punto de trastornar el
carácter innato y la naturaleza
congénita.
Muslim Art in Al-Andalus
 general characteristics:
 the absence of human figures
 use of cheap materials, such as brick and plaster.
 This was covered in rich decoration, consisting of
calligraphy, lattice-work and arabesque.
 Influenced by other styles like Visigoth art (horseshoe and
semi-circular arches )
Lattice-work and arabesque
Famous Muslim buildings
 Palaces: Medina Azahara (Córdoba) y Aljafería (Zaragoza),
la Alhambra (Granada)
 Citadels (alcazabas): Almería, Málaga
 Mosques: Córdoba,Toledo (Cristo de la Luz)
Medina Azahara (Córdoba)

Medina Azahara
Aljafería (Zaragoza)
Alhambra de Granada
Palacio de Comares-Patio de los
Arrayanes
La Alhambra
La Alhambra. Wacth the video and
answer the questions
 Why it is said in the video that while Europe slumbered
(dormitaba) al- Andalus was wide awake?
 What is the Hall of the ambassadors?
 How many pieces has the wooden ceiling inside that room?
What does it symbolize?
 What phrase is repeated 9,000 time throughout Alhambra?
 What’s the meaning of Generalife?
 What style is the palace that Charles V ordered to be built in
the Alhambra?
Mosque of Córdoba
Mezquita de Córdoba
PLAN
Haram or prayer room
Ampliación Mezquita
Quibla
Mihrab
Maqsurah (place for authorities)
Patio or Sahn
Minarete /alminar
Parts of a mosque
Mosque of Bab al-Mardum (Cristo de la
Luz) Toledo
Alcazaba (Málaga)
4. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS AND
THE “RECONQUISTA”
What happens in the north of the Iberian
Peninsula after the Muslim conquest?
• After the Muslim conquest, Christian resistance was formed in the
Cantabrian and Pyrenean mountain ranges.

• At the beginning, they do not have great political organization but, with
time, independent kingdoms are created, and they try to conquer
territories from the Muslims.

This process is known as RECONQUISTA**

Process of conquest or expansion of the peninsular

Christian kingdoms of the territory under Muslim rule.
**Is it correct to use the term "reconquest"?
 The origin of the Christian kingdoms

EVOLUTION
1st - Kingdom of EVOLUTION
Asturias. 1ºCarlomagno created
the Marca La Marca
AL- ANDALUS Hispánica in the south
2nd - Then, the
Kingdom of Leon. of the Pyrenees.

3rd - Later, the County 2º From the Marca

of Castile would arise. Hispánica arose: the
Kingdom of Navarre,
4th - The County of the County of Aragon
Portugal appeared. and the Catalan
Counties.
Iberian Peninsula 8th century
5th-Then the kingdoms
of Castile and Leon 3º The County of Aragon
got united. will become the
Kingdom of Aragon.
4.1. The Cantabrian zone: Kingdom of
Asturias
4.1.The Kingdom of Asturias
 According to Christian chronicles, Pelayo, a military leader,
stopped the Muslims in the Battle of Covadonga in 722.
 The Christian victory gave rise to the kingdom of Asturias,
with Pelayo, as its first monarch.
 The capital was Oviedo.
Pelayo, Avalanch
 Pelayo, grupo Avalanch

 Tus hombres te siguen

Hasta el final.
Un mito se hará realidad.
Tu tierra jamás
Podrán conquistar.
Ejércitos contra
Tus piedras y tu fe,
Hoy vencerás.
Las montañas
Y el cielo tu fe moverán.
Santa tierra
Por ella hoy debes luchar.
4.1. The kingdom “Astuleonés” +
County of Castilla
 This kingdom expanded towards Galicia and Cantabria
 In 914, King Ordoño II moved the capital to León, becoming
known as the kingdom of León.
 Castles were built in the eastern part of the kingdom to
protect themselves from muslim incursions, giving rise to the
county of Castilla
 The Count, Fernán González, made Castilla independent
and established the capital in Burgos
 In 1065, the county became a kingdom of Castile and
expanded south.
 Origen del reino de Castilla
Todavía hoy, Castilla es tierra de castillos…

Alcázar de Segovia

Peñafiel
Turégano

Arévalo
Castillo de la Coca
Castillo de la
Mota
Kingdom of Asturias: development
4.2. The Hispanic March
4.2. The Hispanic March
 Charlemagne conquered the territories of the central
and eastern Pyrenees from the Muslims and converted
them into the Hispanic March, a border area between the
Frankish kingdom and Al-Andalus.
Evolution of the Hispanic March(until
11th century)
 Little by little, the territories of the Hispanic March became
independent from the Franks and new Christian kingdoms
were formed:
 In the northern part of the Pyrenees the Kingdom of
Pamplona (later kingdom of Navarra). During the reign of
Sancho III, the kingdom had its greater extension
 Among the Catalan counties, Barcelona was the most
important under Wilfredo el Velloso. The position of count became
hereditary.
 The county of Aragón was the most important of the central
territories. In the 9th century the county was integrated into the
kingdom of Pamplona. In 1035 Ramiro I became the first
independent king of the kingdom of Aragon.
4.2. The kingdom of Pamplona
 In 824 the kingdom of Pamplona (kingdom of Navarra) was
founded.
 Since the 10th century, the kingdom maintained its
independence by allying with Muslims, Asturians or
Franks.
 At the beginning of the eleventh century, it reached its
maximum size with Sancho III (1000-1035) who added to
his dominions the county of Castile and Aragon, but on
his death, he divided it among his sons.
Map kingdome of Navarra before 1035
4.3. From the Kingdom of Leon to the
Crown of Castilla
 The area of Cantabria, Burgos, Álava and Soria was renamed
Castilla in the 9th century because castles were built to
protect the region from Muslim advances.
 First it was a county (dependent on the Kingdom of León),
but Fernán González achieved its independence in the
mid-10th century.
 Fernando I (son of Sancho III of Navarra) was the first
king in 1065
 In 1230 Fernando III definitively incorporated León
into the kingdom of Castilla.
4.4. The development of the Pyrenean
kingdoms
Kingdom of Navarra
 At the beginning of the 11th century, Sancho III the Greater
inherited the Kingdom of Pamplona and the county of
Aragón.
 He controlled almost all the peninsular Christian territories.
 Upon his death, the kingdom fragmented among his sons, although
shortly afterwards Aragon, Navarra and the counties of Sobrarbe
and Ribagorza were united under the same king.
 Alfonso I the Battler took Zaragoza, a key city to control the
region. Upon his death without heirs, Navarra and Aragon
were definitively divided.
 The Kingdom of Navarra saw its expansion slowed down by its
difficult strategic situation. Starting in the 13th century, the
Navarrese kings belonged to French dynasties, which is why they
distanced themselves from the political evolution of the peninsula.
Crown of Aragón
 Upon the death of Alfonso I the Battler, Petronila
married the Count of Barcelona. Her son, Alfonso II,
inherited both territories: thus the Crown of Aragon
was born (1164), which included the Kingdom of Aragon,
the Catalan counties and some territories north of the
Pyrenees.
 The territorial expansion towards the Mediterranean was the
basis of the economic growth of the Crown of Aragon. James
I the Conqueror, who conquered Mallorca andValencia.
 In less than two hundred years, the Aragonese kings
incorporated numerous territories that allowed them to
establish important commercial enclaves.
The expansion of the Crown of Aragón
(13th to 15th centuries)
MAPS: CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS AND
THE “RECONQUISTA”
Reconquista 9th century
Reconquista 11th century
Reconquista siglo XII
Reconquista 13th century
Iberian Peninsula 15th century (before
1492)
REVIEW CHIRSTIAN KINGDOMS
 Los Reinos Cristianos Escape Room
Pasapalabra about al-Andalus and the
Christian Kingdoms
5. REPOPULATION, THE ECONOMY AND
SOCIETY IN THE CHRISTIAN
KINGDOMS
5.1. The repopulation
 What is reppulation? it consists of installing a
new population on the lands won from the
Muslims and beginning to cultivate them

 Each stage of the Christian conquest has a

different type of repopulation.
 5.1. Repopulation
The first stage (8th–10th centuries) Presura
• The Christians reached the Valle del Duero in the west
and the Catalan counties in the east.
• They granted the new settlers, who were farmers,
plots of land and made them free men.

The second stage (11th–12th centuries) Repoblación

concejil
• The Christian kingdoms conquered the Valle del Tajo
and the Valle del Ebro.
• The monarchs promoted the establishment of towns so
that craftwork and trade could develop. They granted
these areas special privileges in the form of FUEROS.
The third stage (13th century). Repartimientos
• The Christian kingdoms occupied the Valle del
Guadiana and the Valle del Guadalquivir.
• The monarchs granted latifundios to those who
participated in the conquests.
5.2. Economy
• The economy was mainly agricultural.
• Transhumant sheep farming for wool was very
important in Castilla. The Honourable Council of
the Mesta regulated this activity from 1237
onwards.
• Artisans mainly produced agricultural tools and
domestic utensils.
• In Castilla trade in merino wool developed greatly.
• Aragón traded oil and textiles in the Mediterranean
and established maritime consulates in key
Mediterranean ports to protect traders’ interests.
• La Mesta
5.3. Society
 Society in the Christian kingdoms consisted of estates.
 The privileged estates were the nobility andclergy. They had
special courts of justice, didn’t pay tax and owned most of the
land.
 The unprivileged estate paid tax and including most of the
population: free farmers, serfs, artisans and traders.
 As the Middle Ages advanced, economic differences led to social
differences between the Christian kingdoms.
 The Mudéjar and the Jews were minority peoples in the Christian
kingdoms. Most of the Mudéjar were farmers and artisans. The
Jews lived in their own neighbourhoods, the Jewish Quarters.
They worked in medicine, banking and administration.
6. CULTURE AND ART IN THE
CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS
6.1. Culture
 Latin was the official language, but Romance
languages developed.
 Importance of religion.
 During the reign of Alfonso II, the tomb of the Apostle Santiago
was discovered and a church was erected in the place of the
remains
 Some Christians began to visit the tomb, starting the Camino de
Santiago, a pilgrimage that was promoted by the kings.
 History of Camino de Santiago
Wacth the video and answer some
questions
 History of Camino de Santiago
 Since when people have been doing Camino de Santiago?
 How did Saint James die?
 How many people walk the route each year?
 Which was the first route? (Camino primitivo)
 Do you think that nowadays the people who walk Camino de
Santiago, do it only for religious reasons?
6.1. Culture
 Written works were done by monks. The illustrations of the
Beatus of Liébana stand out, with color miniatures.
 In addition to religious themes, chronicles were written,
such as the Chronicle of Alfonso. Legendary story about the
history of the Asturian kingdom.
6.1. Culture (Late Middle Ages)
• The birth of universities in the
peninsula was related to the growth of the
bourgeoisie and the development of the
royal Administration.
• Some universities emerged from
former schools. These centers
could be independent or have the
protection and financial
support of kings or popes. Fachada de la Universidad de Salamanca

• In universities, the ideas of Firsts universities

classical authors were taught: • Castilla: Palencia (1212), Salamanca (1218)
and Valladolid.
medicine, philosophy, • Aragón: Lleida (late 13th century)
mathematics,astrology, astronomy, During the 15th century, new universities were
founded in Alcalá de Henares, Santiago de Compostela
cartography, etc.. and Barcelona.
6.2. Art (High Middle Ages)
 In the High Middle Ages, a pre-Romanesque style
developed in the Christian kingdoms.
 Asturian art combined Visigoth, Carolingian and Mozarabic
elements. Santa María del Naranco stands out.

 Mozarabic style: it was done by Christians who had lived

in Muslim territory. They combine elements of Muslim art
andVisigothic art. San Miguel stands out for climbing.
SANTA MARÍA DEL NARANCO
San Miguel de la Escalada
Romanesque
 LOMBARDIAN ROMANESQUE
 It was developed in Cataluña.
 It was characterized by having thick walls, blind arches and
very high bell towers.
 The painting was greatly influenced by Byzantine icons
(apses of the churches of Saint Mary and Saint Clement of
Tahull).
 FRENCH ROMANESQUE
 Main style of the northern peninsula, from Aragon to Santiago
de Compostela. Examples: churches of San Martín de Tours
(Frómista, Palencia) and San Isidoro de León, and cathedrals
of Jaca and Santiago de Compostela.
 Sculpture and painting had a great didactic component.
 Sculpture developed in porticos, such as that of Gloria
(Santiago de Compostela), and capitals (Silos monastery).The
painting decorated the apses and vaults (pantheon of San
Isidoro de León).
Cathedral of Santiago
La catedral tiene la estructura propia de las iglesias de
Torres peregrinación: planta de cruz latina y un crucero
y una girola (nave semicircular) amplios para que los
peregrinos pudieran acercarse y rodear el altar.

Cimborrio
Crucero

Ábside

La catedral de Santiago de Compostela, que

acoge los restos del apóstol, es la principal obra Girola
arquitectónica del románico español.
 GOTHIC STYLE

Gothic was the predominant artistic style between the 12th and 15th
centuries. It originated in France and spread throughout Europe.
 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE
The large number of Gothic constructions
Characteristics
is explained by economic and urban
The features of Gothic architecture growth:
were tall buildings and illuminated Civil buildings: palaces for the high
interiors. nobility and upper bourgeoisie, town halls
• Pointed arches and ribbed vaults added and markets for commercial activities.
height. Arches called flying buttresses Religious buildings: the most
connected the buttresses to the building. On top important were the cathedrals, symbols of
of the buttress, there was the pinnacle. On top the wealth and power of the cities.
of the church tower or transept there was the
spire. Walls contained large stained-glass
windows and the circular ones were called rose
windows.
GOTHIC CATHEDRAL

Spire

Naves

Pinnacle

Rose window

Flying buttresses

Buttresses
Notre-Dame Cathedral (ParIs)
Gothic cathedrals in the Iberian
Peninsula
GOTHIC SCULPTURE
Characteristics

Decoración de la
•Theme: religious and didactic and narrative entrada central de la
catedral
function. de León (detalle).
Las figuras se relacionan
•It had a more naturalistic style. Figures were entre sí, dando la
sensación de que se
more dynamic, and their faces became miran y conversan.
expressive and realistic, and the clothing and
objects were extremely detailed.
•It continues to decorate facades and cloisters,
but gradually becomes independent of
architectural constructions:
•High reliefs separated from the walls and
free-standing figures on the facades.
•Gargoyles in cathedrals.
•Chairs.
•Altarpieces
•Funerary sculptures.
Carlos V de Francia y Juana de Borbón
(Museo del Louvre).
 GOTHIC PAINTING
Characteristics
Los retablos son estructuras decorativas construidas de
piedra o madera, que pueden incluir esculturas
•Theme: religious and didactic and o pinturas y que se colocaban tras el altar.
narrative function.
•It appears in altarpieces Ático: parte
superior

•Greater naturalism: the faces are

more expressive and the characters relate
to each other.
•New topics:
•Portraits of the nobility and the Calle:
división
bourgeoisie. vertical

•Landscapes
•Objects from everyday life
represented in great detail. Cuerpo:
división
•Starting in the 15th century, the oil horizontal

painting technique spread (colors

are obtained by mixing them with oil) Banco: parte
cercana
al suelo
Retablo de San Miguel Arcángel (Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia).
Romanesque vs Gothic
 Romanesque vs Gothic
7. THE CRISIS OF THE LATE MIDDLE
AGES
Factors/causes of the crisis of the Late Middle Ages
During the 14th and 15th centuries, Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula suffered
a economical, political and social crisis.
• Agricultural crisis: Years of poor harvests that
caused malnutrition and famine and weakened the
population.
• Epidemics: The great mortality caused by the Black
Death (1347.) In the Iberian Peninsula, it first
affected the Balearic Islands and Catalonia and then
spread to the rest of the peninsula.
• Wars: France fought England in the Hundred Year’s
War.
• Tax increase: Monarchs’ declining resources resulted
in tax increases.These ruined farmers.
• Conesquences: This situation favored the outbreak of
religious persecutions, social revolts and wars.
• Black Death
Look at the map and answer the questions

1. From where did the Black Death spread to Europe?

2. What route did it follow?
3. What areas of Europe were later infected? Why?
4. Find information about who was blamed for the spread of the Balck Death and why.
Religious persecutions

• In 1391 and 1473, pogroms (assault and

looting of Jewish quarters) in the main
cities.
• Forced conversion attempts by the
Mudejars, which caused revolts in rural
areas.
• Many royal advisors began to recommend
the expulsion of Jews and Mudejars from
the Christian kingdoms..

Many Jews converted to Christianity, voluntarily or

forcibly, to avoid persecution.
Social revolts
The economic crisis caused by the loss of population led the nobility to resort to military
force to obtain more income, which generated numerous revolts in the countryside.

Rural rebellions Urban rebellions

CASTILLA Confrontation between the Biga and the Busca in
Guerra irmandiña (1467-1469). Peasants, bourgeoisie + Barcelona (15th century).
lower nobility and low clergy against the abuse of the feudal •The Biga (in Catalan, beam) was made up of large
lords in Galicia. merchants (high bourgeoisie) and land-owning
rentiers (nobles). It controlled the Generalitat and
CATALUÑA local power.
Guerras de los Remensas (1460). The Catalan payeses •La Busca (in Catalan, sliver) had the support of the
(peasants) revolted against the misuses or abuses of the king and was made up of merchants and artisans. He
feudal lords, such as the remensa, a payment that they had to demanded reforms that attacked the privileges of the
pay in order to abandon a lord's lands. Biga.
Fernando II of Aragon put an end to the conflict with the
Arbitration Sentence of Guadalupe (1486), which limited
the privileges of the feudal lords.
 Wars in the Late Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula

WARS BETWEEN KINGDOMS CIVIL WARS

• Castilla and Portugal. Juan I of Castile • Castilla:
attempted to seize the Portuguese throne, but was
— Civil war between Pedro I of Castile and his
defeated by Portugal with the help of England in
brother Enrique de Trastámara (1351-1369).
the Battle of Aljubarrota (1385).
Enrique won and became king of Castile.
• Castilla and Aragon. The dispute over Murcia
— War of succession (1475-1479) between the
provoked the War of the “ Dos Pedros” (1356-1369)
supporters of Juana la Beltraneja (daughter of
between Pedro I the Cruel, of Castilla, with the
Enrique IV) and those of Isabel (sister of Enrique
support of England, and Pedro IV the
IV), who won.
Ceremonious, of Aragon, with the support of
France. • Aragon (Catalonia). Civil War (1462-1472) in
which the political conflict between the Biga and
the Busca and the social conflict between farmers
and feudal lords came together, especially because
of the remensa. The victory went to the side of the
Aragonese king.
• Navarre. Civil war (1451-1464) over the
succession to the throne between Juan II of Aragon
and his son, Carlos de Viana. Two sides faced each
other: the Agramontese (nobles with livestock
interests), who supported Juan, and the
Batalla de Aljubarrota (1385)
Beamonteses (notbles con intereses agrícolas),
partidarios del príncipe de Viana.
Look for information
 Who was Juana la
Beltraneja? Where
did that nickname
come from?
 What was Henry
IV's name? Was he a
powerful or weak
king? Justify your
answer.
 Why did Isabel end
up reigning in
Castile?