Los Reyes Católicos y la insaculación en Castilla

Abstract

This article deals with the system called insaculación, the method used in the Crown of Aragón to assign the council's occupations, and analyses its spread throughout Castile in the reign of the Catholic Monarchs. It combines a geographical analysis of the two main areas in which it spread, and a chronological analysis, which includes the dates of implementation of the system. A description of the system of insaculación shows the main aspects of the procedure (ways of electing voters; the need of royal ratification for those voters; day, place and duration of elections; oath taking; period of time needed to be elected again; system to provide vacancies and acceptance of jobs), and the posts chosen this way (attention is focused on deputies). To understand what this system meant in the late 15th century in Castile, a final analysis focuses on some other aspects: causes and aims of the method, reactions in towns, and the degree of royal intervention (depending on the way the king intervenes and whether a ratification is needed).