Local Churches, Property, and Owners in Early Medieval León (10th–11th Centuries)

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of local churches in the north-western Iberian Penin­sula during the 10th and 11th centuries, focusing on their patrimony and the role of their owners within the framework of early medieval rural societies. Unlike the churches linked to the high aristocracy –extensively studied in historiography since the late 20th century– those under the control of peasant communities or local elites have recently gained attention thanks to the turn towards the study of social dynamics at the local level. In this context, these churches emerge as a central space for religiosity, sociability, and community identity. From this starting point, the paper offers an in-depth study of local churches, considering on the one hand the agrarian and non-agrarian assets they were able to manage, and on the other hand the broader set of as­sets belonging to their owners, to better understand the problem of social differentiation within local societies through an assessment of wealth indicators among these elites. Furthermore, in cases where churches had a communal origin, the paper analyses how individual members of the community participated in their management and endowment, assessing the internal social differences within the communities according to such participation. The analysis focuses on the Leonese area and is based on a significant documentary sample drawn from monastic and cathedral archives. The study highlights how local churches acted as instruments of both differ­entiation and social cohesion. Through their construction, endowment, and transmission, local elites consolidated their position within the community fabric, while simultaneously shaping internal differences. The control of these centres of worship thus appears as a privileged lens through which to understand power, wealth, and belonging in early medieval rural societies.