Correos, Messengers and Estantes in the Fifteenth Century Castile

Some Reflections

Abstract

In the studies of Hispanic Middle Ages little research has been done regarding the role of troteros, peones, correos, mensajeros, comisionados, embajadores, diputados o delegados circulating in the territory with letters of omes poderosos from court to cities and from there to the places under their jurisdiction. In assessing the relationship between crown, lords and towns, we usually don´t give them the real importance to the role they played: they were in change of the circulation of the information, the arrival on time of the correspondance, the effectiveness of diplomacy and the keeping in contacts between local and central government institutions. In the present study, the set of problems behind the roles of the messengers in the late Middle Ages will be analyzed by focusing on their different typologies, the problems regarding their appointment and the hidden interests behind their job.