Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Abbreviations
- Glossary
- Note on the Maps
- Chapter 1 Rethinking the Hispanic Monarchy in the First Global Age
- Chapter 2 John II's Controversial Reward
- Chapter 3 The Catholic Monarchs and the Legacy of John II
- Chapter 4 Rebellion Against Crown Administration as a Defense of Absolute Royal Authority
- Chapter 5 Pursuing Justice: Due Process, Procedure, and the Adjudication of a Major Lawsuit in the Absence of Coercive Muscle
- Chapter 6 Making Judgments: Letrado Theories and Interpretive Schemes
- Chapter 7 Philip II, The Great Fear, and the New Authoritarianism
- Chapter 8 The Paradox of Absolute Royal Authority
- Notes
- Works Cited
- Index
Chapter 2 - John II's Controversial Reward
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 September 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Abbreviations
- Glossary
- Note on the Maps
- Chapter 1 Rethinking the Hispanic Monarchy in the First Global Age
- Chapter 2 John II's Controversial Reward
- Chapter 3 The Catholic Monarchs and the Legacy of John II
- Chapter 4 Rebellion Against Crown Administration as a Defense of Absolute Royal Authority
- Chapter 5 Pursuing Justice: Due Process, Procedure, and the Adjudication of a Major Lawsuit in the Absence of Coercive Muscle
- Chapter 6 Making Judgments: Letrado Theories and Interpretive Schemes
- Chapter 7 Philip II, The Great Fear, and the New Authoritarianism
- Chapter 8 The Paradox of Absolute Royal Authority
- Notes
- Works Cited
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Among members of the Royal Council dissatisfied with John II's incapacity in the 1440s was one of the reign's principal chroniclers, bishop Lope Barrientos. As a model of proper royal conduct, he offered a description of king Henry III, John II's father and predecessor, which established a standard by which the reign of his son could only be considered a disaster at every point. The latter mismanaged his estates, had too many unreliable, venal officials and counselors, was undervalued by aristocrats and little regarded by humbler peoples, and maintained so little justice that none felt secure.
He [king Henry III] always focused on regulating his finances, increasing his revenues, and providing justice to his kingdoms, and when any man pays lots of attention to some goal, he will necessarily reach it. This is even more the case for the king when he enjoys the services of good ministers and officials. This king met to review his actions with some notable men, monks and nobles, prelates and jurists, and with their counsel he organized his kingdoms and judicial administration. No one can deny that he exhibited fine judgment in evaluating and selecting good people for the Royal Council, which is no small virtue in a prince, and kept the kingdom peaceful and well governed; and in a short time, he had a great treasure, because he wasn't a free spender, and when the king is parsimonious, keeps track of expenditures, and receives great revenues, he will necessarily be rich. This king, don Enrique, was greatly feared by the grandees of his kingdom and much loved and respected by the common people because he always maintained peace and harmony and each person was secure proprietor of what he had.
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- Information
- 'By My Absolute Royal Authority'Justice and the Castilian Commonwealth at the Beginning of the First Global Age, pp. 17 - 44Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2005