Civilizational Dynamism of Western Europe in the 13th and 14th Centuries - Portuguese territory

Factors Promoting the Creation and Organization of Councils

  • The advance of the Reconquista.
  • The need to populate the territory, attracting settlers.
  • The need to organize communities that pre-existed the Reconquista.
  • The development of commerce and handicrafts.
  • The support of monarchs for the formation of councils to limit seigniorial power.
  • The interest of kings in increasing their sphere of influence.

Creation and Organization of a Council

  • The process began with the granting of the charter of royal authority (foral).
  • The organization of municipal or conciliary life evolved from the 12th century onwards, with the more detailed definition of the rules for the organization of local power, established in the charter of royal authority.

Charter of Royal Authority (Carta de Foral)

  • It was a document that created a council.
  • Defined the relationships, rights, and obligations between the inhabitants of the council and between them and the grantor of the charter.

Granting the Charter of Royal Authority

  • The Crown.
  • Private individuals:
    • Lay lords.
    • Ecclesiastical lords.
  • In the 12th to 14th centuries, the charters of royal authority were mostly granted by the Crown.

Aspects Enshrined in the Charter of Royal Authority

  • The autonomy of a certain community.
  • The regulation of administration.
  • The fixing of the territory's limits.
  • The guarantee of the right of property of residents.
  • The definition of taxes to be paid.
  • The establishment of rules in the application of justice.
  • Protected residents from seigniorial abuses.

Symbols of Council Power

  • The pillory.
  • The seal.
  • The flag.
  • The town hall.

Composition of the Council Space

  • Two distinct zones:
    • The town or city, the seat of the council.
    • The term or alfoz.

Center or Headquarters of the Council

  • It was an area with various functions (administrative, judicial, economic).
  • In the center were the buildings of power and local elites.
  • Integrated urban facilities, such as the castle or tower, the butcher shop, and the market.

The Term

  • It was composed of dispersed villages, farmlands, and common lands.

Exercise of Power in the Councils

  • Power was the responsibility of the neighbors, the inhabitants.
  • Only the richest held council positions: the "homens-bons" (good men).
  • The conciliary assembly or vereação brought together the homens-bons who chose the magistrates.

Intervention of the King in the Councils

  • The king appointed some magistrates and royal officials.

Objectives of the Monarch in Alliance with the Councils

  • Reinforce royal authority.
  • Prevent seigniorial abuses.
  • Ensure the payment of taxes to the Crown.

Council Magistrates

  • Aldermen (Vereadores).
  • Market inspectors (Almotacés).
  • Judges (Alvazis or juízes).
  • Council procurator (Procurador do concelho).
  • Treasurer (Tesoureiro).

Royal Magistrates and Officials

  • Steward (Mordomo).
  • Castle warden (Alcaide).
  • Outside judge (Juiz de fora).
  • Chief bailiff (Meirinho-mor).
  • Corregedor (Magistrate).

Establishment and Strengthening of Borders

  • Afonso III conquered the Algarve in 1249, taking advantage of a situation of weakening of the Muslims who occupied the territory.
  • Put an end to the Reconquista in Portuguese territory.

Fixing the Territory: The End of the Reconquista

  • Afonso III had to resolve some issues of sovereignty over areas on the border between the Algarve and the kingdom of León and Castile.
  • The agreement of Badajoz in 1267 leads to adjustments in the borders with mutual concessions.
  • D. Dinis, his son, completes the process of defining borders with the signing of the Treaty of Alcanises in 1297.

Royal Power as a Factor of Internal Cohesion of the Kingdom – The Action of D. Afonso III

  • "I, D. Afonso III, by the grace of God, King of Portugal and the Algarve…"

In the Economic Domain

  • Increased the Crown's patrimony.
  • Created legislation to fix prices and wages (Lei da Almotaçaria).
  • Promoted the development of fairs and local commerce through the charters of fair.
  • Encouraged the prohibition of exporting products considered essential.
  • Proceeded with the devaluation of the currency.

In the Social Domain

  • Proceeded with the pacification of the nobility.
  • Restructured the nobility.
  • Favored the emergence of a new nobility of the Court loyal to the monarch.
  • Sought the support of the representatives of the councils (procurators of the councils in the Courts).

In the Administrative Domain

  • Defined guidelines for the councils.
  • Stimulated the granting of charters of royal authority.
  • Summoned the representatives of the councils to the Courts.
  • Promoted the realization of General Inquiries.
  • Reinforced the chancellery.
  • Favored the creation of a body of administrative officials.

Means of Control of Seigniorial Power and Reinforcement of Royal Power

  • Inquiries.
  • Confirmations.
  • Laws of disentailment.
  • Organization of conciliary communities.
  • Summoning of Courts.

Objectives of the Inquiries

  • Avoid the abuses of the lords.
  • Ensure that the lords respect the supreme jurisdiction of the Crown.
  • Prevent the expansion of seigniorial powers.
  • Define the limits of the occupation of the territory.

Consequences of the Centralizing Action of the Monarch

  • Concentration of power in the hands of the king.
  • Deterioration of the king's relations with the clergy and the papacy.
  • Strengthening of royal power and its authority.
  • Complexification of the bureaucracy.
  • Increase in the number of officials.
  • Affirmation of a monarchy in which the king assumes special prominence compared to the other lords of the kingdom and the Court.