Local churches, feudal lords and community. Consolidation dynamics of Castilian-Leonese episcopacy, 1150-1250

Abstract

This paper analyzes the process of incorporating tithes and churches to the episcopacy from the mid twelfth century. This is the starting point for the organization of the Episcopal lordships of Castilian-Leonese Extremadura. It is shown that the reorganization of the Church promoted by the Gregorian reform did not came without conflict and cannot be fully understood without taking into consideration the base conditions upon which it was developed. The cases of Zamora, Salamanca and Avila will enable to establish comparative observations between earlier feudalization areas, similar to the northern peninsula, and later ones, from the historical Extremadura