The Crown of Aragon and the Late Middle Ages in Spain

The Crown of Aragón

Institution

The Crown of Aragón was made up of the Catalan counties and the kingdoms of Aragón, Valencia, and Mallorca. Each territory maintained its own laws, institutions, and customs. The king had less power than in Castile. Each territory had its own parliament, and the king needed its approval to raise taxes or pass laws. In Catalonia and Valencia, a Generalitat had an administrative role. An official called the Justícia defended people's rights in Aragón. City councils developed considerable autonomy in the Crown of Aragón. The city council of Barcelona was especially important.

Expansion Across the Mediterranean

Aragón expanded on the Iberian Peninsula, although less than Castile.

• Alfonso I conquered the Ebro Valley.
• Jaime the Conqueror took Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, and the Balearic Islands.
• Pedro the Great conquered Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples.

The Crown of Aragón became a major Mediterranean power.

The Economy

• Aragón was essentially rural, its economy consisting of agriculture and livestock farming.
• Catalonia had a manufacturing industry that specialized in textiles, ironwork, and naval construction.
• Valencia was an important trading center.

The Late Middle Ages

Conflicts in Castile

The Late Middle Ages were a period of conflict and tensions throughout the Iberian Peninsula.

Economic Crisis

There were bad harvests, famines, and epidemics. The population fell, and agricultural land was abandoned.

Peasants' Revolts

The nobles raised taxes on the peasantry, which led to peasants' revolts against the nobility.

Noble Rebellions

Nobles tried to take each other's lands.

The Black Death

The Black Death caused an extremely high number of deaths in Catalonia.

Trastámara Dynasty

The Trastámara dynasty took power. Fernando of Antequera was named king.

Peasants' Revolts

There were fewer peasants as a result of epidemics and demographic decline. Remensa peasants (who were tied to the land) rebelled against the nobility.

Urban Conflicts

In Barcelona, there were violent conflicts between two rival parties:

• The party of the nobles and rich merchants defended traditional privileges.
• The opposed party comprised smaller merchants, artisans, and poor people.

There was a civil war.