Privatization and control of livestock spaces in late medieval Andalusia

Abstract

From the very outset of the Christian conquest of the territories within the Guadalquivir Valley, a systematic process of land enclosure for pastoral purposes was set in motion. The origins of these enclosures were shaped by a multiplicity of factors, and their ownership structures proved equally diverse. This study seeks not only to examine the causes and typologies underpinning these enclosures, but also to explore their evolution and complexity between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, shedding light on the political and economic motivations that informed the actions of the various stakeholders involved — the Crown, municipal councils, local oligarchies, and the nobility. In addition, the research will address the conflicts arising from the establishment of certain wooded pastures or dehesas, identifying the principal actors and assessing the social, legal, and territorial repercussions of these disputes.