Political and Economic Transformations in Medieval Castile and Aragon

Political Organization and Institutions in the Kingdom of Castile and the Crown of Aragon: In the Kingdom of Castile, there were two wars that resulted in the formation of an authoritarian monarchy based on a series of measures, including legislative and judicial uniformity, centralization of finances through indirect taxes, and the creation of a standing army. Army officials established a bureaucracy, limited the autonomy of the councils, and unified the courts in the 14th century, presenting the general interests of the people. In contrast, the Crown of Aragon had a structure consisting of three kingdoms: Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia, which shared a king but each had its own institutions and courts. The foreign policy of Aragon incurred expenses that were covered by grants awarded by the monarch's cortes. The agreements reached in the courts were often not respected, leading to the establishment of commissions to ensure compliance. When Martin I died without an heir, representatives from each kingdom met in Caspe to designate the new king, Fernando de Antequera, in an effort to avoid a civil war. During his reign, authoritarianism prevailed despite resistance.

Demographic Crisis, Economics, and Politics in the Middle Ages: In the 14th century, political stability disappeared, leading to a time of pessimism triggered by a demographic catastrophe. This was caused by a series of factors, including crop failures due to bad weather, which led to depopulation, a decline in production, and an increase in the prices of goods. These poor harvests also resulted in famine and rising commodity prices. A new disease, known as the epidermis, appeared alongside the Black Plague in 1348, causing the deaths of many people. Those with money, fearing the disease, fled to farms on the outskirts of the city, resulting in a political crisis where no one governed. Additionally, there were wars against the Jews in the peninsula, exacerbated by the existence of this new disease. Economically, a restoration began, promoting sheep farming, advancing craftsmanship, and redirecting crops towards fishing. The political crises that followed included disputes between Peter I and Henry II from 1366 to 1369, which ended with the death of Peter, and a civil war against John II from 1462 to 1472.