The Iberian Peninsula in the Late Middle Ages
The Outreach: Italian and North African Politics
The RRCC monarchy had become a major political power in Europe. The foreign policy of the RRCC followed these guidelines: confrontation with France and alliance with surrounding countries to isolate it, integration of all peninsular territories, and maritime expansion in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Italian Politics
Italy was made up of many smaller states, rich and militarily weak, but with skillful diplomacy. The King of France, Charles
Read MoreThe Old Regime and the Industrial Revolution: A Historical Overview
The Old Regime: Trade and Society
Overseas Trade
In the 18th century, overseas trade flourished, reaching the Americas, Asia, and Africa, where colonies were established for trade advantages. The possession of colonies became a focal point of conflict within Europe. These overseas states were controlled by European monarchs under the mercantilist economic system. The East India Company and the West India Company were created to manage trade with the East and West Indies, respectively. The importance
Read MorePre-Capitalist & Feudal Economies: Evolution & Transition
Unit 1: Pre-Capitalist Economy
Features
- Diverse social and economic forms
- Organic base economy
- Predominance of agriculture and manual production
- Use of hydraulic, eolic, human, and animal energy
- Limited factor mobility
- Family-based economic units
- Low specialization and surplus accumulation
Pre-Capitalist Feudal Economy and Business
This system dominated Europe from the 9th to mid-19th centuries.
Features
- Agriculture as the foundation
- Serfdom (peasants tied to the land)
- Full private ownership (lords extracting
Medieval Catalonia: Rise and Expansion
1. Barcelona’s Dominance (11th Century)
1.1. Subjugation of the Feudal Nobility
Between 1041 and 1059, Count Ramon Berenguer I consolidated his authority over other Catalan counties by subduing the feudal nobility. He offered a pact: nobles became his vassals in exchange for control over their peasant populations. This solidified Catalonia’s feudal system, with Pallars and Roussillon remaining the only counties outside Barcelona’s direct control.
1.2. Relations with Al-Andalus
The 1031 fragmentation
Read MoreThe Industrial Revolution: Transformations and Impact
The Industrial Revolution
Features
- Technological innovations were applied to economic activities. New machines were invented to tap into new energy sources like coal and oil, and to generate electricity.
- Factories emerged, revolutionizing manufacturing. Previously, goods were manufactured in workshops.
- Production shifted towards sales. Before the revolution, most production was for home consumption or local markets.
Consequences
- Machinery significantly increased output. It became possible to produce many
The Iberian Peninsula: Reconquest, Expansion, and Dynastic Union
Forms of Land Use and Its Influence on Ownership
Models of Recruitment and Social Organization
Parallel to the territorial expansion, a double process took place: the repopulation of conquered lands and the socio-political development of new states. Unlike the primitive core of Biscay and the Pyrenees, where soil characteristics imposed a fragile economy, the newly conquered areas were river valleys, suitable for extensive agriculture. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, a process of population
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