Building Episcopal Authority in Medieval Castile: The Bishops of the Diocese of Burgos (11th–13th Centuries)

The consolidation of episcopal authority in the Diocese of Burgos, central to the Kingdom of León's eastern region (modern-day Castile), was achieved through strategic territorial delimitation and recovery of jurisdictional rights from powerful Benedictine monasteries and lay figures between the 11th and 13th centuries. This study identifies three key periods: defining diocesan boundaries, reclaiming lost churches and ecclesiastic taxes, and asserting hierarchical dominance over other diocesan potestates. Bishops employed tactics such as dispute-resolution agreements, integrating abbots into the cathedral chapter, and property acquisitions to solidify their power. The research highlights how monarchs leveraged Burgos—a pivotal pre-urban settlement—as a unified episcopal seat, marking a significant shift from the fragmented Visigothic structure disrupted by Islamic invasions.

Guijarro, S. (2024). Building Episcopal Authority in Medieval Castile: The Bishops of the Diocese of Burgos (11th–13th Centuries). Religions, 15(9), 1074. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15091074