La imagen de las ciudades y regiones altomedievales de León y de Castilla en las Crónicas Generales (de Sampiro a la «Estoria de España»)

Abstract

The aim of this article is to characterize the image that the general chronicles of the 12th to 13th centuries offer regarding the historic past of Leon and Castile corresponding approximately to the 10th century, the time of the Leonese monarchy and the Earldom of Castile, with special emphasis on the image of cities and regions. The chronicles from Sampiro to Alfonso X are analysed in relation to Galicia, Asturias, Leon, Burgos, Castile and neighbouring regions. Emphasis is placed on deciphering the discourse regarding what is «urban», on understanding the cultural construction of certain symbolic places and the retrospective rewriting of the political geography of past times as well as on pondering the prejudices of «Leonists» and «Castellanists», the ideological orientation of the authors, the changes in language and the incorporation of new narrative materials to the chronicles.