A kingdom without a capital? Itineration and spaces of royal power in Castile,c.1252–1350
Fernando Arias Guillén
In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Castilian kings were constantly in motion, travelling through their kingdom, an activity which has traditionally been linked with absence of a single capital Castile. This paper re-examines role played by royal itineration this period reasons inhibited consolidation undisputed kingdom. doing so, changing importance functions main cities realm, Toledo, Seville, Burgos Valladolid – spaces power will also be discussed. The factor precluded rise was kingdom's specific territorial configuration, not bureaucratic under-development. Reconquista led to creation ‘composite kingdom’, kingship exercised differently some regions compared others.
Journal of Medieval History