Political participation of local elites in the government of Castilian towns during the Late Middle Ages. Factions and conflict of interests (Paredes de Nava, end of the 14th century-beginning of the 15th century)

Abstract

This article approaches to the forms of political participation into the government of the Crown of Castile by the municipal elites during the Late Middle Ages. We have chosen as object of research for this purpose the struggle between urban factions for the counciliar government happened in Paredes de Nava, a seigniorial town upon the infante Fernando of Antequera, in 1401-1403. In base of this case, we can observe a great number of factors whom influenced the alignment of these elites throughout these conflicts, beyond the existence of more or less formalized structures able to channel urban political concurrence.