KINGDOM OF CASTILE

Kingdom of Castile

The kingdom of "Castilla" (its name means, "Land of Castles") occupied the eastern half of the actual region of Castilla y León, and the neighboring regions of Cantabria, La Rioja, Madrid and part of Castilla-la Mancha. It is the land of origin of the Spanish language (Castellano)

The origin of Castile is at the lands od the Eastern frontier of León, in northern Spain. Those lands were inhabited by people of a mixed origin (Cantabric, Basque, Celtiberian), who possessed their own language (the Castilian-spanish) and body of laws, which differed from the Visigothic-inspired laws of the Leonese court. The Castilian legal system was based on old customs and traditional laws, as interpreted and applied by popularly appointed judges. Castile became independent in practice under Count Fernán González (X century). The "legal" independence came under Fernando I , son of the king Sancho III "the Great" of Navarre, last Count and first king of Castile (he was also king of León).

After the disintegration of the Moorish Caliphat, it expanded to central Spain: "New Castile", becoming the leader of the "Reconquista". An important act of this was the conquest of Toledo (1085), by the king Alfonso VI, that united the muslim kingdom of Toledo with Castile.

It conserved a close relation with León (unions with the kings Fernando I, Sancho II, Alfonso VI or Alfonso VII), until their deffinitive union, during the year 1230, with the king Fernando III "The Saint", son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. This king reconquered Southern Spain: Murcia & Andalucia (except of Granada)

Spain at XV century The two kingdoms remained independent until the union of Spain, with the marriage of Isabel I (Queen of Castile & León) and Fernando II (king of Aragón and Count of Barcelone).

More information at:

Chronology of the kings of Castile.

Note:

At the page about "castles of Castile" we include the castles at the North of the Central Mountains (region traditionally known as "the Old Castile", 1 at the map), including the provinces of Valladolid and Palencia, which changed of kingdom several times. At the page about "castles of Toledo (New Castile)" we include the castles of the kingdom of Toledo and the Castilian districts on the southern side of the mountains (traditionally known all of them as New Castile, 2 at the map)

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