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34-464: Tordesillas ( Spanish pronunciation: [toɾðeˈsiʎas] ) is a town and municipality in the province of Valladolid , Castile and León , central Spain . It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the provincial capital, Valladolid at an elevation of 704 metres (2,310 ft). The population was c. 8,760 as of 2021. The town is located on the Douro River although the river

68-577: A consulate , has the right to vote in the local elections of the last municipality they resided in. A Spanish citizen born abroad must choose between the last municipality his or her mother or father last lived in. As of 2022, there were a total of 8,131 municipalities in Spain, including the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla . In the Principality of Asturias , municipalities are officially named concejos (councils). The average population of

102-618: A municipality is about 5,300, but this figure masks a huge range: the most populous Spanish municipality is the city of Madrid , with a population of 3,305,408 (2022) , while several rural municipalities have fewer than ten inhabitants ( Illán de Vacas , had a population of three in 2022 ). Almost 40% of the Spanish population resides in just 62 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. 84% (6,817) of municipalities have less than 5,000 inhabitants. Castile and León alone account for 28% of municipalities but they constitute less than 6% of

136-601: A son, Alfonso, crown-prince of Castile (1359 - October 19, 1362). Two of their daughters were married to sons of Edward III , King of England. Isabella married Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York , while the elder, Constance, married John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , leading him to claim the crown of Castile on behalf of his wife. Constance's daughter, Catherine of Lancaster , married Henry III of Castile in order to reunify any claim to succession that may have passed via Constance. María de Padilla died in July 1361, possibly

170-451: A three star classification. North of the town there is a fertile valley formed by the Douro, with extensive use of irrigation by central pivots. The town is known for its Toro de la Vega festival during which a bull was slaughtered by people on horseback and on foot. Animal rights groups repeatedly tried to stop this from taking place. The Roman Turris Sillae, built on the hill of Siellas,

204-643: A victim of the plague , although Pero López de Ayala does not specify the cause in his chronicle of the King's reign. She was buried in the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara de Astudillo which she had founded in 1354. Shortly afterwards, however, her remains were taken, following the orders of King Peter, to the Cathedral of Seville where she received burial in the Royal Chapel with other members of

238-504: A year of rebellion, the reorganized supporters of the emperor Charles V struck a crippling blow to the comuneros at the Battle of Villalar , and finally royal troops of the Count of Haro captured Tordesillas. This 16th-century event was the beginning of a long decline from influence and prosperity. The ongoing position of Tordesillas at a crossing of historic roads and modern highways has been

272-498: Is broadly outlined by the 1985 Local Government Act. The Statutes of Autonomy of the various autonomous communities also contain provisions and many sectorial laws from national and autonomous community government determine the functions and powers of ayuntamientos. In general, municipalities enjoy a large degree of autonomy in their local affairs: many of the functions of the comarcas and provinces are municipal powers pooled together. All citizens of Spain are required to register in

306-410: Is called "Sábado de Faroles". (The Saturday of torches or lanterns made of wood). During the night there is the "Desfile de Faroles", a big parade where each competing "peña" (crew or team) carries a "farol" (which is somewhat bigger than a common streetlamp). Each side of the "farol" is painted with typical images about Tordesillas and about the festivities. Crews, accompanied by brass bands, take part in

340-400: Is composed of the mayor (Spanish: alcalde ), the deputy mayors (Spanish: tenientes de alcalde ) and the deliberative assembly ( pleno ) of councillors ( concejales ). Another form of local government used in small municipalities is the concejo abierto (open council), in which the deliberative assembly is formed by all the electors in the municipality. The operation of the municipalities

374-433: Is not navigable up to Tordesillas. There are highway connections to Madrid , 182 kilometres (113 mi) to the southeast, and with Salamanca , 96 kilometres (60 mi) to the southwest. The provincial capital of Valladolid is also linked by four-lane highway. Because of its important highway connections Tordesillas has become a major transit hub. The economy is based on services—especially connected to tourism—and

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408-696: Is of special interest, containing a museum of religious art collected from churches in the vicinity. The spacious church interior has a single nave , and its most outstanding feature is the sumptuous Alderete Chapel, containing the 1550 alabaster tomb of Don Pedro de Alderete, Commander of the Order of Santiago . There are also two other historic convents besides Santa Clara in Tordesillas — Convento de Carmelo and Convento de San Francisco . The main feasts in Tordesillas are held in September;

442-493: Is the historic and attractive central community space framed by the 17th century colonnade and porticos creating the arcade that encircles it. Nearby is the Church of Santa Maria, built from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. It has a monumental baroque sacristy . The town's other landmark churches are San Juan, San Pedro, Santiago, and San Antolín. The massive 15th-century Church of San Antolín

476-532: The Cruel's palace. Blanche de Bourbon was held here after her abandonment by Peter for María de Padilla in 1353. The former portal, blocked off now, has a particularly fine Mudéjar doorway. In 1363 he ceded Santa Clara to two of his daughters by María de Padilla. They turned it into a convent , but it retained its role as a royal palace. In 1420 the Infante Don Enrique of Aragón burst into

510-465: The agricultural production of the surrounding area. Wheat has long been the traditional agricultural product (see Cuisine of the province of Valladolid ). The town is well served by hotels with a Parador , four three-star hotels, one two-star hotel, and ten hostels and pensions . There is also a camping site. There is also an abundance of restaurants—27 in total—with the Parador restaurant having

544-421: The authority or jurisdiction of each ( Spanish : competencias ). Some autonomous communities also group municipalities into entities known as comarcas (districts) or mancomunidades (commonwealths). The governing body in most municipalities is called ayuntamiento ( municipal council or corporation ), a term often also used to refer to the municipal headquarters (city/town hall). The ayuntamiento

578-445: The country. The average land area of a Spanish municipality is about 62.23 km (24.03 sq mi), while the average population is about 5,988 people. Municipalities were first created by decree on 23 May 1812 as part of the liberal reforms associated with the new Spanish Constitution of 1812 and based on similar actions in revolutionary France. The idea was to rationalise and homogenise territorial organisation, do away with

612-519: The date changes every year. The celebrations are in honour of Our Lady 'La Virgen de la Peña', (Our Lady of the Rock) patron saint of the village and land of Tordesillas. Her hermitage is located on the other side of the river, where people arrive for the romería (pilgrimage) in carts drawn by decorated horses. Celebrations begin on 8 September, Patron Saint's Day of Tordesillas, the 'Virgen de la Guía' (Our Guiding Lady). Following Saturday to 8 September

646-456: The decisive factor in its economic survival and development. The Santa Clara buildings were originally built by King Alfonso XI as his palace in 1344. His son Peter the Cruel had it embellished by Mudéjar artists, beautiful works at Santa Clara, though on a much smaller scale than they did in the Alcázar of Seville . The facade, a lovely small patio, a chapel and the baths remain of Peter

680-720: The monarchy, and again during the clashes between the Catholic Monarchs and Joanna La Beltraneja in 1476. The Catholic Monarchs signed the Treaty of Tordesillas with the Portuguese crown in 1494, which established the line dividing the globe between Spain and Portugal for colonization purposes. This affected the Portuguese and Spanish colonization of the Americas . Despite Tordesillas' traditional support for

714-673: The monarchy, in the Castilian War of the Communities by citizens of Castile against the rule of Charles V , the city took the side of the Comuneros . The leaders chose Charles' own mother, Queen Joanna I , as an alternative ruler in more than title in 1519. They came to the town to ask for the mediation of Joanna I, confined within the Santa Clara convent since 1509 by her father Ferdinand II . However, in 1521, after nearly

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748-445: The municipality they live in, and after doing so, they are juridically considered "neighbors" (residents) of the municipality, a designation that grants them various rights and privileges, and which entail certain obligations as well, including the right to vote or be elected for public office in said municipality. The right to vote in municipal elections is extended to Spanish citizens living abroad. A Spaniard abroad, upon registering in

782-492: The palace and seized the person of John II, who escaped the Infante thanks to Álvaro de Luna. Queen Joanna of Castile and Aragon , who spent much of her life in confinement at the (later demolished) Royal Palace of Tordesillas , was first interred at the Santa Clara convent before her remains were transferred to Granada. The convent still holds a little clavichord reputed to have belonged to heritage. The Plaza Mayor

816-492: The parade carrying their "faroles", along the streets of the village. The crew judged to have the most beautiful farole is awarded a prize. The guards' patrol through the old walls of Tordesillas gave rise to this curious celebration that traverses the whole village. The "Virgen de la Peña" patron saint's day is celebrated on Sunday. The following Tuesday there was a well-known local tournament called, in Spanish, "Torneo del Toro de la Vega" (The Meadow Bull Tournament). The bull

850-424: The population of Spain. A European report said that one of the most important problems facing local governments in Spain is the very high number of little towns with a low number of inhabitants. The area of the municipal territory (Spanish: término municipal ) usually ranges 2–40 km , but some municipalities span across a much larger area, up to the 1,750.33 km of Cáceres ', the largest municipality in

884-447: The prior feudal system and provide equality before the law of all citizens. Between 1812 and 1931, the legislation regarding municipal organisation was changed more than 20 times, and there were 20 addition and unsuccessful proposals for change. Mar%C3%ADa de Padilla María Díaz de Padilla ( c. 1334 – Seville , July 1361) was the mistress of King Peter of Castile , whom he posthumously recognised as his wife. She

918-498: The summer of 1353, under coercion from family and the main court favorite, Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, Peter wed Blanche of Bourbon , the first cousin of King John II of France . Peter abandoned Blanche within three days when he learned that she had an affair with his bastard brother Fadrique Alfonso en route to Spain, and that the dowry was not coming. María and Peter had three daughters: Beatrice (1353–1369), Constance (1354–1394), and Isabella (1355–1392), and

952-490: The years prior to the ban were escalating. The current format of the tournament involves the chasing of the bull without spears and the bull is not killed in public anymore. The name of the tournament is now "El Toro de la Peña". Municipalities of Spain Although provinces are groupings of municipalities , there is no implied hierarchy or primacy of one over the other. Instead the two entities are defined according to

986-400: Was a Castilian noblewoman, daughter of Juan García de Padilla (died between 1348 and 1351) and his wife María de Henestrosa (died after September 1356). Her maternal uncle was Juan Fernández de Henestrosa, the King's favorite between 1354 and 1359 after Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque fell out of favor, and the mediator in an apparent pardon for Fadrique Alfonso , King Peter's half-brother. She

1020-525: Was also the sister of Diego García de Padilla , Grand Master of the Order of Calatrava . María's family, members of the regional nobility, originally came from the area of Padilla de Abajo, near Castrojeriz in the province of Burgos . She is described in the chronicles of her time as very beautiful, intelligent, and small of body . King Peter met María in the summer of 1352 during an expedition to Asturias to battle his rebellious half-brother Henry . It

1054-507: Was banned in 2016 by the regional government over rising concerns about violent clashes between those who held views in favor of the tournament and those against it. A perceived majority of the town's population supported the celebration while a growing number of Spaniards had come to know about it and were opposing this celebration over human rights concerns. There had been attempts to block the celebration by members of animal-rights groups before and altercations between both locals and visitors in

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1088-443: Was driven by horsemen and footmen all carrying spears. When it reached the meadow across the river it was finally speared and stabbed by many competing lancers. The person who delivered the fatal blow (this could be with a rifle) was entitled to cut off the bull's testicles and tie them to the tip of his spear and parade them through the town. The city then awarded him a gold medal and a commemorative forged iron spear. This celebration

1122-537: Was probably her maternal uncle, Juan Fernández de Henestrosa, who introduced them, as mentioned in the chronicle of King Peter's reign written by Pero López de Ayala . At that time, María was being raised at the house of Isabel de Meneses, wife of Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, a powerful nobleman. They became lovers and their relationship lasted until her death despite the King's other marriages and affairs. The Padillas were raised to various offices and dignities. Her uncle, Henestrosa, became Alcalde de los fidalgos . In

1156-613: Was the bulwark of the defensive line of the Duero during the Reconquest . In 1262 it received its charter from Alfonso X the Wise. The town began to be favored by the royal family and nobility, above all after Alfonso XI built a palace (1325). In the 15th century the town hosted several meetings of the Cortes. During the skirmishes between Henry IV and the nobility the city supported

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