Late Medieval Crisis in Castile and Aragon

Demographic, Economic, and Social Crisis (14th-15th Century)

Primary Causes of the Medieval Crisis

The Impact of the Black Plague

The Black Plague was a devastating epidemic that provoked numerous deaths across the peninsula. This demographic collapse contributed to a shift in power dynamics.

The Rise of Noble Power and the Manor Court

During this period, the King increased the power of the nobility by granting them land titles and high-ranking positions. Through the manor court, these lords participated in royal authority, exercising justice, appointing local authorities, and collecting taxes. Furthermore, these domains were often delivered under the Mayorazgo system (entailed estates). This regime contributed to the further exploitation of servants through new taxes and systemic abuses.

Major Social Conflicts in Castile

The Irmandiños Rebellion in Galicia

In the rural countryside of Galicia, the Irmandiños rebellion broke out. This was an association of laborers, farmers, and village craftsmen targeted against elements of the small nobility. These peasants destroyed many fortresses and demanded the return of lands they considered usurped. The nobility eventually reacted by joining forces and seeking external support, leading to the rebels being subjugated.

Urban Unrest and Jewish Persecution

In the cities, the economic crisis led to the persecution of Jewish communities. This violence was particularly severe in the region of Andalusia.

Social and Political Struggles in Aragon

The Remensa Peasant Movement

In rural areas, the most significant conflict involved the Remensa peasants (Catalan peasants who could not leave the land without paying a ransom). They organized a movement for emancipation known as the Grand Union Remensa. Although it initially failed to solve their problems, a resolution finally arrived with the Sentencia Arbitral de Guadalupe issued by Ferdinand the Catholic. This decree freed the peasants from "malos usos" (abuses) and granted them the freedom to sell their land and goods.

The Conflict Between the Biga and the Busca

In urban centers like Barcelona, the economic crisis triggered political rivalries between two groups of unequal status:

• The Biga: Composed of major importers, merchants, and rentiers who dominated municipal offices.
• The Busca: Integrated by master craftsmen and small merchants who sought to control local power and implement protectionist policies to limit imports.

Although the King supported the Busca during their rule in Barcelona, the Biga eventually won and regained control of the municipal offices.