Burgos, Castilian city par excellence, will be the objective of the article that is developed below in order to try to carry out an X-ray of such a distinguished city during medieval times. This analysis aims to get to know the city but also to show it as the paradigm of the urban world in medieval Castile. Many of the characteristics shown by this city were shared by other nuclei located in the Castilian-Leonese context. Thus, the interest of the article is to get to know Burgos and through it, to make known some of the characteristics of medieval cities.
For this, an analysis of the different aspects of the city will be carried out. In the first place, its origin, commenting, next, the fundamental aspects related to its location and geopolitical circumstances. Subsequently, the political, economic and social aspects will be analyzed. The last section is dedicated to the relationship of the city with other powers of the kingdom.
The origin of Burgos and its evolution during the Middle Ages
The origin of the city is part of the dynamics of territorial expansion and repopulation, understanding this process as a reorganization of space. Frequently, Christian repopulation activity was directed towards places where urban life or even settlement had once existed. In the case of Burgos, as well as what happens with Oviedo, they were “cities” that were founded instead of being rebuilt (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 15). However, there are those who are not very sure of this statement and opt for other interpretations (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 23 and ss).
Be that as it may, it seems clear that the repopulation took place in the year 884, and was carried out by Count Diego Rodríguez Porcelos. In addition, said count would set up others such as that of Ubierna, both very similar to that of Amaya, dated a quarter of a century earlier. These companies seem to be part of a plan launched by the monarchs of the moment. In fact, the brief reference of the Castilian Annals The following points to this repopulation: “Count Diego populated Burgos under the command of King Alfonso” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 25).
The term populate and Burgos
In relation to this topic, the debates around the term “populate” (popular) have spread seas of ink. Today, most researchers point out that its meaning is not literal (according to the DLE: to occupy a place with people so that they can live or work there). Instead, it seems that the meaning is something different, for Valdeón it would be something like: “dominate, subdue or introduce in a certain political-administrative organization” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 26).
Once Burgos is “repopulated”, its medieval journey begins. His name is related to the term bourgeois, in its meaning of fortified center (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 25), which is related to the importance of the erected fortification. This was the true guarantor of the consolidation of the settlements present in the place, as well as those that emerged in the heat of that repopulation activity (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 26).
However, from the moment of repopulation to the consolidation of Burgos as one of the main cities of Castile, the road was still long. In this sense, there will be several elements that promote this transformation; In the first place, the increase in power of the counts of Castile, who ended up becoming monarchs and whose relationship with the city only grew. On the other hand, the Camino de Santiago left an indelible mark on the city, and unlike others, Burgos was not subjected to it as the drop in activity on the Camino did not lead to a kind of decline, as it did in other cities. cities (Ladero Quesada, 2019: 21).
Location and geopolitical circumstances of its location
The conflict between Christians and Muslims was the backbone of peninsular societies during much of the Middle Ages, but in some contexts this situation acquired such importance that it articulated practically all the actions of one and the other. The advance across the Plateau was one such context. Thus, the location of Burgos will respond to the needs of the moment (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 27).
By location we must understand the term in its two meanings, understood in the broad sense: place occupied in relation to a territory, and also in a narrower sense: situation of a settlement in that place in its environment that best meets its objectives. This translates into the following: just five kilometers from Burgos is Villafría, a site through which a vital route for Christians and Muslims passed; seizing that route meant controlling the Pancorbo gorge and the Arlanzón valley, links between the Cantabrian mountain range and the Meseta (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 29).
In this way, the Castilians understood that maintaining that place was a priority objective, hence Burgos became a strong point. In order to meet these objectives, Burgos located itself in the most suitable place: a hill surrounded by the Arlanzón, Pico and Vena rivers. The hill will be the place chosen by the first settlers to build the first neighborhoods, but “looking to the east and south, as the Burgos climate required” (García Sáinz de Baranda, 1967: 180). In any case, with the passage of time and the distancing from the border, the city will stretch out, abandoning the discomfort of the hill to settle on the plain following an east-west orientation (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 28), although the hill and its defensive function never disappeared.
political aspects
The concilium and the council
The first thing that should be pointed out in relation to Burgos and its institutional configuration is that it was a royal city. Hence derived its urban autonomy.
It can be traced the existence of a concilium in the 10th century. This should be understood as the group of men from the city who, meeting in assemblies, decide on the most relevant issues. However, the documentation is very clear when it comes to presenting a gradation between the participants themselves; there was no egalitarianism. Based on this, it has been considered that Burgos could act as a “true legal person” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 82). On the other hand, at that time some features began to appear that show the evolution towards more restrictive management and government models.
In fact, that is the reality that is verified in the twelfth century from the existence of assemblies of a judicial nature whose participation is limited to those denominated as boni homines (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 82). That is to say, what is expressed here is nothing but the transit of the concilium open to the Council. The latter understood as a true government body more closed and restrictive.
It will be during the twelfth century when the development of political-administrative organisms begins to be promoted, a process that has been related to the increase in royal power (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 76). By then Burgos already controlled his alfoz and accumulated privileges of different kinds. Furthermore, it seems evident that he had some iudices (understood as agents of the king) as a demarcation center (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 83). It is also known of the existence of a merino, although it has been interpreted that for the moments prior to the 12th century that figure exercised as a merino of Castile and not exclusively of the city (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 84).
All this evolved during the twelfth century. At that time, Burgos became “head of the Merindad Menor de Burgos and the Merindad Mayor de Castilla and the seat of a possession linked to the existence of a castle” (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 75). Presence of judges, mayors, a merino busy from the city itself and its alfoz… All this will only become more complex, for example, with the appearance of ecclesiastical agents that produced “jurisdictional collisions or overlaps” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 86).
Moving forward in time, during the thirteenth century important steps were taken in terms of government autonomy. The work of Alfonso VIII has much to do with this (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 83). In addition, the existence of the Council as a governing body is formalized, a more or less general trend in the Peninsula (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 353). This Council became increasingly restrictive, reaching a midpoint between the Concilium open from the 10th century and the closed council from the 14th and 15th centuries.
To explain its appearance, it is enough to quote the words of Julio Valdeón: “it emerged as a result of the tendency to fragmentation and the growing ascendancy of a certain social group” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 158). Those good omes they were monopolizing political power against an increasing percentage of inhabitants who ceased to be citizens. That is, to enjoy privileges among which was access to public office. Those positions were merino, judge, mayor, jury or notary.
the closed council
In the 14th century, the measures of Alfonso XI will mean a new turn regarding the Council and access to it. It was then that the change from the open Council to the closed Council was consolidated. The reason for this has to do with the appearance of regiments. However, in recent decades this maneuver by the monarch has been interpreted differently. Thus, it seems that this measure did not end the freedoms of the cities, but rather sanctioned a situation that already existed “de facto” (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 391).
The establishment of Regiment in Burgos in 1345 it will mean “the officialization of oligarchic forms of government” much more than the end of the “old urban freedoms” (Ladero Quesada, 2019: 273). In practice, the Regiment It was made up of sixteen officers who, helped by the mayors, the merino and the notary public, would govern the life of the city of Burgos. Between 1345 and 1492 there were changes to the Ordinance of 1345, but they did not radically modify or alter the structure. Those sixteen aldermen, together with the mayors, will be appointed royal positions (Valdeón Baruque, 1984: 393-395).
Economic aspects
Early times and full Middle Ages
The economic activity of Burgos in the first years after its repopulation was profoundly agrarian. In fact, this was the predominant economic activity in all early medieval Christian kingdoms. The terrazgo was dedicated to cereals, vineyards and orchards, in addition, the space destined for pastures must also have been noteworthy (Crespo Redondo, 2007: 45). Over time, economic activity began to enrich itself. In this way, the first permanent shops appeared, a symbol of craft activity (Gautier Dalché, 1989: 39).
In the medieval centuries the situation improved remarkably. The economic growth of Burgos at this time must be related to two aspects, the first of which is related to income. They flowed in…