Social Structure and Land Settlement in Medieval Spain

Models of Recruitment and Social Organization

Medieval Christian Spanish society was organized into three distinct estates: clergy, nobility, and peasantry.

The Privileged Estates

• Nobility: Possessed extensive territorial domains and exercised jurisdictional rights over the peasants living on their lands. The lower nobility included knights, noblemen, and wealthy urban citizens who attained noble status.
• Clergy: Comprised high-ranking officials such as bishops, abbots, and masters of military orders, alongside a lower clergy that remained closer to the common people.

The Peasantry and the Bourgeoisie

The peasantry, dedicated to agriculture, constituted the bulk of the population. In noble and ecclesiastical domains—particularly in Catalonia—they were subject to strong dependence, whereas conditions were generally more tolerable on royal lands. With the growth of cities, the bourgeoisie emerged, focusing on handicrafts and trade, eventually splitting into a ruling elite and a popular sector known as the "little people."

Models of Repopulation

Spontaneous Repopulation (Presura)

Applied north of the Duero and in the Pyrenean foothills, this involved simple land occupation where those who cultivated the land became its owners. Driven by peasants, nobles, and monasteries, it resulted in a predominance of small and medium-sized properties.

Municipal Repopulation (Concejil)

Applied between the Douro, the Toledo Mountains, and the Ebro Valley, territory was divided into alfoces. Upon the formation of a council, the king granted a Privilege or Carta Puebla, establishing rules for municipal life. This led to a predominance of medium-sized free holdings.

Military Orders Repopulation

Applied to the Guadiana Valley, Teruel, and northern Castellón. Kings granted large land tracts known as maestrazgos, resulting in large estates dedicated to livestock farming.

Allotment Repopulation (Repartimiento)

Applied to the Guadalquivir Valley and the Levantine coast following territorial conquests. This resulted in large estates (donadíos) granted to the nobility, military orders, and the church.