Water and Urban Development in Medieval Castile: A Study of the City of Guadalajara

Abstract

One of the most critical elements for urban development in medieval Castile was access to water resources that could be used to supply human settlements. Depending on the climatic conditions, the surrounding terrain and previously existing infrastructures, each city and town in the kingdom sought the best means to secure a water supply for its population. In this article, we will analyse how the council of Guadalajara, together with the main religious and civil powers in the city, began to construct the local water supply network in the Late Middle Ages, fed by springs located in a place known as El Sotillo, and the start of commercial exploitation of the Henares River nearby the city. Water, a scarce resource in the Alcarria region, was of critical importance for the economy in the Late Middle Ages, as well as being a symbol of social prestige, and aroused the interest of all members of the local society.