Send Gift Baskets to Burgos, Spain

At least 800,000 years ago, early humans occupied sites around Burgos. Before the Roman occupation, the province of Burgos was now a Celtic city. During Roman times, it was part of Hispania Citerior (“Here Spain”) and became part of Hispania Tarraconensis. By the end of the 5th century, the Visigoths had driven the Suebi back. Then in the 8th century, the Berbers occupied Castile almost entirely, which they left little trace of. About the middle of the 9th century, King Alfonso III the Great of León reconquered it, building several castles to defend Christendom, which he then expanded through the reconquest of lost territory. As a result, the region became known as Castile (Latin castella), which means “(land of) castles.”

The settlement of Burgos was established in 884 as a Christian outpost on this expanding frontier, when Diego Rodríguez “Porcelos,” Due to his orders to increase the Christian population, Castile gathered the inhabitants of the surrounding country into one fortified village to promote its growth. As time passed, the city began to be known as Caput Castellae (“Head of Castile” or “Cabeza de Castilla”). In Castile, the county (condado) continued to be governed by counts and was gradually expanded; one of these counts, Fernán González, became independent.

Burgos quickly became a testing ground for royal policies of increasing power against the council after Seville (1248) was conquered by the Moors, partly by encouraging the right to appeal from the board to the king. Sancho IV added a new body to the council in 1285: the jury collecting taxes and overseeing public works; the king chose its members. During royal minorities, Burgos perceived its autonomy was at risk from an uncontrolled aristocracy: in 1295 and 1315, Burgos joined brotherhoods of cities that partnered for mutual protection. During the 14th century, royal intrusion into city affairs was perceived as a solution to violence by the large excluded class of smaller merchants and artisans, who were taxed disproportionately. A bailiff was a royal official whose job it was to resolve disagreements.

A Regimiento of sixteen appointed men was established by Alfonso XI on June 9th, 1345, sweeping aside the city government.