Youth Associations in Rural Aragon in the Late Middle Ages

Abstract

This article deals with associations of young men in the rural world of the kingdom of Aragon in the Late Middle Ages. It begins with a brief review of the concept of the King of Youth. Later on, it focuses on Aragonese associations of this kind, their bylaws and their function as networks for sociability and learning, which were supervised by municipal authorities. The importance accorded the Sunday dance and the interest shown by the authorities in guaranteeing music and dances to entertain the local youth are both examined in detail. This work tackles the analysis of some annual festivities, like Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, which were important both for the young boys and for the minstrels they hired on these occasions. Attention is also paid to the feasts that were more relevant for the associations’ members and for those who worked for them, particularly weddings and first masses.