War of the Communities of Castille

The revolt and war of the Communautés of Castille were a rising of the interior cities of the Couronne of Castille against the royal capacity, which took place between 1520 and 1521.

Certain historians describe it as first modern revolution, against the claims of Charles Ier of Spain to modify the system of government of the crown and to grant the post offices key of the capacity foreigners. For this reason, the revolt of the Comunero S was the first modern revolution of Europe, precursor of the French revolution. Others qualify it contrary to last attempt of the Castilians to anchor themselves in the Middle Ages and to slow down the projection of the royal capacity, to which they add a component of hatred towards the foreigners.

The first are those which studied the most in-depth movement Comunero: Jose Antonio Maravall, Julio Valdeón Baruque or the historian French Joseph Pérez, author of the book the comuneros , perhaps the largest expert of the movement comunero.

On the other hand the opinion of the seconds seems more debatable, because precisely a greater royal capacity is a guarantee of modernity, since the characteristic of medieval lies in the capacity of noble (the Féodalisme). In Castille, the kings were pressed for a long time on the cities to have to be able more against the nobility, and king Charles was originating in a country where the capacity of this one was very important, i.e., more medieval.

In any case it is a very important episode of the Spanish and Western history.

Antecedents

Although the immediate cause of the revolt was that, on arrival of a foreign king, this last imposed other foreigners like right-hand men on the government of the kingdom, as well as the use of important resources and taxes of Castille to the profit of the empire, the roots of the problem must be required during one former time, at the time of regencies in Castille (1504 - 1517), during which important conflicts of the company Castilian were updated: the concern of the nobility which sought to regain capacity after the reign of Isabelle Ière de Castille which had reduced it considerably (in general, the Comunero S were members of the commercial lower middle class and middle-class craftsmen of the Castilians cities); the conflict enters the large tradesmen (represented by Burgos, seat of the Consulat of the Sea (" Consulado del Mar " , which centralized wool Castilian exports) which wished to export crude wool, and the manufacturers (represented by Segovia) who wished to be given a more important quota in order to develop the Textile industry incipient from Castille (as that which existed, for example, in Flandres and which used wool Castilian precisely); the problem of the Marrane S due to the rigor of the Spanish Enquiry; or tensions in the cities where the political power was in the hands of well defined clans.

The servicio of Charles Ier

The arrival of Charles Ier of Spain revived these problems and still added new conflicts. The king, inexperienced, foreign, not speaking the Castilian and already aspiring to the throne German Empire, was not only going to go away from lasting Castille of long periods but also to subordinate the interests of Castille to those of Flandres and the Empire, while benefitting from the richnesses Castilians. With the the Cortes of Valladolid of 1518 the Castilian ushers refuse in Charles the servicio (contribution), which supposed a tax intended to provide for the expenditure of the monarch abroad. Charles again convened the the Cortes with Saint Jacques de Compostelle in 1520, receiving this time still a negative answer. A few weeks later, he convoked again the Cortes with Corogne, for his nearest departure. Although the Castilian ushers had received in their large majority of the very clear instructions to vote against, at the last hour the entry was prohibited with number of them; others (which were killed on their return) betrayed their cities, forced or bribed. The servicio was finally approved.

Training of the Holy Junta

July 29th, 1520 the Holy Junta of the Kingdom made up to Ávila, is trained by representatives of the Castilians cities, electing like chair Pedro Lasso of Vega (brother of the poet and member of the imperial army Garcilaso of Vega) and as chief of the army of the Comunero S Juan de Padilla, both tolédans. The Holy Junta moved with Tordesillas, in the hope that the queen recluse Jeanne Ire serf of support to the Comunero S, although the emissary left the interview convinced that they could nothing hope for Jeanne, this one being, indeed, insane.

The revolt of the Communities was not a popular revolt. It was a rebellion of the political community (local oligarchy, the nobility) against the capacity growing of the King. The comuneros claimed to slow down this royal absolutism being born, with an aim of obtaining a political regime similar to that which had traditionally existed in the Couronne of Aragon, a system of government negotiated between the King and the Kingdom (the the Cortes), because they saw disappearing to be able to them vis-a-vis a royal capacity increasingly absolute. Economically, the comuneros made the choice solved to support the development of an manufacturing industry Castilian, which opposed them to the large exporting merchants of Burgos. For this reason, Burgos was the only Castilian city in the royalist camp. In spite of the urban nature of the rebellion, during summer 1520 were added in the rural world of many insurrectionists of the Seigneurie S which wished to pass in the royal field. The wild fire of Medina del Campo by the royalist troops on August 21st, 1520, in reprisals with the refusal to deliver the artillery guns which the latter wanted to use against Segovia, involved the final adhesion of Valladolid to the camp comunero.

The beginning of the war of the Communities

The October 23rd, Charles is crowned emperor of Germany and the October 31st the cardinal Adrien of Utrecht, Flemish regent named by the king, declares the war with the comuneros . The royalists take Tordesillas and the Junta flees with Valladolid. Juan de Padilla returns in Tolède. The bishop of Zamora, Antonio de Acuña, sets up, close to Medina del Campo, an army which takes by storm of the fortresses seigneuriales and goes then to the south. Charles Ier names two new viceroys chosen in the nobility Castilian: the Constable of Castille and the Admiral de Castille, respectively lords of Burgos and Medina de Rioseco.

The Battle of Villalar

In February 1521, the troops will comuneras launch an offensive on the fortress of Torrelobatón, which fall the February 25th. The April 12th, during the most atrocious episode of the war, of the troops of the king take by storm the town of Mora, close to Tolède, and burn the church where had found refuge more: 3000 old men, women and children, who perish. Finally, on April 23rd in the small hour, the troops will comuneras leave Torrelobatón and seek to take refuge with Toro. The troops of the king continue them and join them with Villalar. The rebels, under a strong rain and without the protection of artillery, are dispersed by the cavalry of the noble ones. The comuneros lose between: 500 and: 1000 men: 6000 are made prisoners. The April 24th in the morning are carried out the main leaders comuneros , in particular Juan de Padilla, Juan Bravo, captain of the comuneros of Segovia, and Francisco Maldonado. The courage and the bravery of the latter vis-a-vis the execution which them attenda passed to the posterity.

The fall of Tolède

All the rebellious cities of the north of Castille fall after the defeat from Villalar. In June 1521, the troops of Charles take by storm Madrid, which goes without much resistance. Murcia, which had also supported the revolt of the comuneros , falls after a long seat. September 1st 1521, begins the attack on the town of Tolède, which goes very weakened the October 25th, but with the requirement that the life of María Pacheco is saved (which accepted the nickname of Lionne of Castille ) and other leaders comuneros of the city. The king makes destroy the castle of Padilla with Tolède.

The January 9th 1522, the cardinal Adrien is named pope, in thanks of Charles Ier for the support brought. The demonstrations of enthusiasm of the high clergy tolédan are a great provocation. María de Pacheco takes with its faithful Alcazar and releases the captive comuneros. February 3rd the imperial troops enter and finish some with the insurrection of the comuneros. María de Pacheco flees with his/her daughter in Portugal, where she dies 10 years later without to have given up her ideals comuneros.

Consequences of the defeat

After the final defeat repression was wild. Leaders comuneros like Pedro Maldonado, the Guzmán brothers, Juan de Zapata, the count de Salvatierra as well as remarkable members of the juntas of the comuneros or clergy were victims.

Cities insurgent were subjected to payment of important compensations, which involved the ruin of the manufacturing cities like Segovia, vis-a-vis the triumph of the exporting interests of the merchants of Burgos, which prevented the maintenance of most of the industry of the Kingdom, already weakened by the absence of protectionist policy. With final, the capacity of monarchy increased, and the nobility saw its capacity and its mode of reduced privileges, which contributed to a fast and early integration of the royal absolutism in Castille.

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