Monasterios y poder aristocrático en Castilla en el siglo XI

Abstract

The Castilian medieval charters supply numerous examples about religious centres, which are autonomous with regard to other eclesiastical networks, and controlled by laymen.San Martín de Escalada and San Miguel de Tubilla are two cases of this type of monasteries dominated by aristocrats, placed in the Burgos’ district called la Lora; both provide us information, unpublished up till now, concerning on the utility of these nucleus in order to strenghten the aristocratic power during the XIth century. To this effect, it is necessary to emphasize the use of the behetría like an ownership form in the inheritance of the familiy, the organization of part of the inheritance due to the monastic states, the creation of clientship networks and the control of the agricultural expansion and settlement.