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Mesta Shepherds' Guild

Type Object Region Iberian Peninsula Time 1273–1836

The Mesta (Honrado Concejo de la Mesta) was a shepherds' guild formally established in the Kingdom of Castile in 1273, specifically managing seasonal…

Timeline

  1. 1273Burgos · CastileAlfonso X consolidated scattered shepherds' brotherhoods into the 'Honorable Council of Shepherds', empowering it to coordinate transhumance routes, arbitrate disputes, and petition the crown on behalf of sheep owners.
  2. 1301–1310Castile–León transhumance corridor · LeónBetween 1301 and 1310, with royal support, the Mesta strengthened control over the Royal Sheepway; merino flocks transhumed from winter lowland pastures to summer highlands, and the guild accumulated wealth and expanded its influence over local agriculture accordingly.
  3. 1310–1500Burgos–Bilbao wool export corridor · CastileAs demand from the Flemish and Italian cloth industries rose, the Mesta became a key link in Europe's wool supply chain, and its institutional privileges and transhumance network expanded further.

Sources