The Impact of Urban Riots in the 15th Century.The 1449 Revolt in Toledo (SP)

Abstract

Is it possible that what happened in a single city in the Middle Ages could stir up a territory and cause the Monarchy’s embarrassment? The answer to that question has given rise to an important discussion, because at the background there lies the problematic issue of whether during the Ancient Regime there were genuine revolutions that tried to change the system or, as we tend to think nowadays, they were simply limited-impact revolts that at most affected the city where they took place, its surrounding territories and, exceptionally, certain towns that had economic or political ties with those cities. In this paper we try to clarify some of the keys to 15th century revolts, focusing on one of the most important among such uprisings, which took place in Toledo in 1449.