Abstract

Geschlechter and Zünfte, prinçipales and común. Urban Conflicts in Late Medieval Castile and the German Empire

Late medieval urban conflicts in Castile and Germany lend themselves to fruitful comparisons. Despite the different social structures, non-privileged townspeople (común, meinheit) aspired to political participation and representation in both countries. This emergence of civic consciousness was due to rather well educated and economically successful members of the upper middle classes. In times of struggle or civil war or in situations of doubleelectionsof the king in the Medieval Empire, they were important partners of the monarchy. In the towns of Northern Atlantic Spain, their pragmatic alliances with the new dynasty of Trastámara, particularly the Catholic Kings, served mutual interests. It was directed against the influence of strong noble lineages and resulted in successful petitions and municipal reforms. German and Castilian terminology of communities and corporations (gemeinde, meynheit, Bruderschaft, común, comunidat, cofradía) is very similar. The ideal of common good (bien público de la república, gemeiner Nutz) was the paramount argument put forth within the urban political discourse. Inside the socially stratified late medieval system, German and Castilian craft guilds stressed the ideas of equality, justice and equity. Quoting privileges, good old customs, honour, famous ancestors and traditions, hereditary oligarchies and noble urban lineages referred to different values. Germany and Castile developed a very vivid life of leagues, associations and fraternities. In fear of conspiracies, the kings often tried to prohibit them. Designed to calm factional conflicts, electoral procedures such as the insaculación and other forms of lottery offer interesting insights into methods of conflict resolution. In times of intra-urban conflicts, the rulers’ reactions composed a large range of different measures, which included mediation, arbitrage, legislation, or, as in the case of the Comuneros or the Bauernkrieg, military repression. Finally, in the long run, town government and effective political participation stayed restricted to small groups.