CROWN OF CASTILE

• Emerged as the unification of León and Castile with Fernando III in 1230
• took advance of the division of Al-Andalus into taifas
• In 1085 Alfonso VI took Toledo
• Stopped by the Almoravids and Almohads
• Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212)
• Great advance in the 13th century with Fernando III
• Powerful monarchy thanks to legal unification
• Cortes (consultative assembly of the nobility, clergy and cities to approve new taxes)
• Municipalities: consejos, cabildos and corregidores
• Agriculture: poor harvests of cereals, vines and olives
• Transhumance livestock farming- the Mesta
• Lack of industry or burgeoise