Christian Kingdoms: Expansion and Consolidation in Medieval Spain
Navarre and Aragon: Independence from the Franks
At the beginning of the 9th century, Hispanics in Jaca created the county of Aragon and expelled all Franks, creating the Kingdom of Navarre-Pamplona (817).
Vifredo the Velloso made the office hereditary. Count Borrell II refused to renew the oath of allegiance to the Frankish king. Thus, the Catalan counties were born, with Barcelona becoming the most important.
Consolidation of the Kingdoms
In the 11th century, under the reign of Sancho III the Great (1000-1035), the kingdom of Pamplona reached its maximum expansion. However, after his death, the kingdom was divided among his sons: Ramiro I (King of Aragon), Ferdinand I (King of Castile), and García Sánchez III (King of Navarre).
Ferdinand joined the kingdoms of Castile and Leon, but upon his death, they were divided. His son, Alfonso VI, reunified them in 1072. Portugal gained independence in 1128, diminishing the territory. The final link was in 1230 under the name Crown of Castile.
Territorial Expansion Southward
In the mid-11th century, the Caliphate of Cordoba had military and economic superiority, limiting the progress of the Christian kingdoms. After the decomposition of the Caliphate (1031), the Christian kingdoms were able to attack Al-Andalus.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Christian kingdoms conquered the valleys of the Tagus and the Ebro. They conquered Toledo (1085) and reached Lisbon, Portugal (1147). The King of Aragon took Zaragoza (1118), and the Count of Barcelona took Tortosa (1148) and Lleida (1149).
With the military conquest of Al-Andalus, the land was repopulated (Concejil repopulation), creating new councils. Privileges and letters of settlement were granted to attract people to the territory.
Rural Society
The foundation of the wealth of the Christian kingdoms was agricultural production (wheat and vines) and livestock (grazing). It was a method of survival for their own consumption.
The cities of the Camino de Santiago boosted trade.
The Camino de Santiago
The Camino de Santiago was a remarkable religious and cultural event in the Middle Ages. In the late 8th century, Alfonso II built a church where the tomb of St. James was located. From the 11th century, the Road became a major pilgrimage site in Christendom. It encouraged the construction of monasteries, bridges, roads, and hospitals, drawing pilgrims from across Europe.
The Camino de Santiago attracted new ideas and customs to the territory, including artistic styles such as Romanesque and Gothic. It also led to overall business growth and the creation of new cities.
Expansion and Crisis of Christian Kingdoms
Conquests of the 13th Century
The first half of the 13th century was a period of great expansion for the Christian kingdoms, particularly after the defeat at Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), which contributed to the conquest of other territories.
- James I of Aragon conquered Majorca (1231), the Kingdom of Valencia (1235-1245), and Murcia.
- Ferdinand III of Castile conquered Cordoba (1236), Jaén (1246), and Seville (1248).
- Portugal conquered the Algarve (1226-1239).
Only the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada maintained a Muslim presence.
In the Southern Plateau, Murcia, Andalusia, and Valencia, many Muslims fled or were expelled to Granada and North Africa. There was a manor repopulation, thus favoring the concentration of land.