Ordinances of Alcalá de Henares

Spain [1348]

Also known as: Ordenamiento de Alcalá

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June 18, 2026

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The Ordinances of Alcalá de Henares were promulgated in 1348 by King Alfonso XI of Castile and León. These ordinances were significant administrative and legal reforms that reinforced the importance of Roman law and legal procedures within the kingdom's courts. This legal framework aimed to strengthen royal authority and establish a more centralized system of governance. The ordinances also addressed various aspects of Castilian society and administration, reflecting a period of significant legal and institutional development in Spain.12

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Alfonso XI
…and legal reforms in the ordinances of Alcalá de Henares in 1348. Alfonso was assiduously courted by both France and England, who wished for an alliance that would give them the support of his powerful fleet, but he avoided committing himself to either party.
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…and legal reforms in the ordinances of Alcalá de Henares in 1348. Alfonso was assiduously courted by both France and England, who wished for an alliance that would give them the support of his powerful fleet, but he avoided committing himself to either party.
Read More

Spain
Castilian institutions, society, and culture
…when Alfonso XI promulgated the Ordenamiento de Alcalá in 1348. Henry II reorganized the royal tribunal (audiencia), but its development was not completed until the end of the Middle Ages. In the pursuit of greater centralization of power, the crown took advantage of the persistent factionalism in the towns to…
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…when Alfonso XI promulgated the Ordenamiento de Alcalá in 1348. Henry II reorganized the royal tribunal (audiencia), but its development was not completed until the end of the Middle Ages. In the pursuit of greater centralization of power, the crown took advantage of the persistent factionalism in the towns to…
Read More