The Castilian Aristocracy and the Mercedes Reform of 1478-1482

Abstract

H ISTOfRIANS of the reign of the Catholic Kings have long accepted the thesis that Ferdinand and Isabella made a remarkably successful effort to reduce the political importance and economic power of Castile's great aristocracy. According to this thesis, the creation of a national militia (the Santa Hermandad) reduced the overall importance of the feudal levies upon which the nobility based its military power, while exclusion of the great magnates from voting rights on the reconstituted Council of Castile after 1480 meant that the offices of some of the proudest families of Castile were transformed into empty dignities. Meanwhile, military commands and diplomatic and administrative offices were allegedly conferred upon new menmembers of the lesser nobility and clergy.1 The aristocracy (such at least is the traditional view) also saw itself deprived of revenues through crown resumption of more than one-half of all mercedes of juros (liens on crown revenue purchased and held either for the life of the holder or in perpetuity) issued between 1464 and 1474.2 The thesis of a rapid decline of the aristocracy's political significance needs to be reexamined very carefully. To be sure, Ferdinand and Isabella continued the policies of their predecessors John II and Henry IV and employed many letrados and lesser nobles in administrative positions. But they continued to turn to the great magnates in order to fill key positions that required incumbents of great social prestige or administrative experience. When heavy responsibilities during the Granada war sometimes made it impossible for her to attend to internal administration, Isabella turned to Admiral Alonso Enriquez for assistance and assigned the government of