Medieval Economic, Social, and Political Crisis: A Demographic Study

Medieval Economic, Social, and Political Crisis

The late Middle Ages experienced a significant economic and social demographic crisis, characterized by an aging population. Reliance on outdated agricultural methods led to a subsistence crisis. The economic downturn stemmed from a deep recession, triggering social and political instability.

Agricultural Decline and Trade Disruption

Crop yields declined due to field abandonment. The plague and the Hundred Years' War severely impacted trade. Recovery began in the late fifteenth century, driven by population growth and increased demand. The burgeoning wool industry stimulated livestock farming, boosting trade with the north, particularly in Aragon and Castile.

Political Instability in Castile and Aragon

A power struggle ensued between feudal lords and the king. Castile faced political turmoil in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. King Pedro I attempted to curb the power of the nobles, leading them to support his illegitimate brother, Henry of Trastámara, resulting in a civil war won by Henry. Upon Henry's death, another war erupted between Juana and her aunt Isabella, ultimately won by Isabella, later known as "the Catholic."

Aragon also experienced conflict between the nobility during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In the fifteenth century, upon the death of Blanche I of Navarre, her husband, John II of Aragon, denied the throne to their son, Charles, sparking a civil war between father and son. Charles's death in prison, allegedly by his father's order, deepened the divide between Navarre and Aragon.

Pre-Roman Peoples of the Iberian Peninsula

Tartessians

The Tartessians emerged at the end of the Bronze Age, reaching their peak during contact with the Phoenicians. They were an advanced civilization engaged in livestock farming and trade, with influence spanning from Huelva to Cartagena.

Iberians

The Iberians inhabited the region from southern France to Alicante. They constructed fortified villages in elevated locations and possessed writing and currency for trade.

Celts

The Celts settled in the inner, northern, and western regions, choosing difficult-to-access, walled locations. The merging of Celts and Iberians resulted in the Celtiberians.

Carthaginians

Carthaginian merchants and warriors engaged in conflicts with the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans (Punic Wars).

Phoenicians

The Phoenicians were early colonizers, renowned traders, and navigators. They introduced salted goods, glassmaking, and purple dye.

Greeks

The Greeks established colonies in the northeast, introducing olive cultivation and viticulture.