SECTION I.. View of the Castilian Monarchy Before the Fifteenth Century.

VIEW OF THE CASTILIAN MONARCHY BEFORE THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. STATE OF SPAIN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY EARLY HISTORY AND CONSTITUTION OF CASTILE THE VISIGOTHS INVASION OF THE ARABS ITS INFLUENCE ON THE CONDITION OF THE SPANIARDS CAUSES OF THEIR SLOW RECONQUEST OF THE COUNTRY THEIR ULTIMATE SUCCESS CERTAIN THEIR RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM INFLUENCE OF THEIR MINSTRELSY THEIR CHARITY TO THE INFIDEL THEIR CHIVALRY EARLY IMPORTANCE OF THE CASTILIAN TOWNS THEIR PRIVILEGES CASTILIAN CORTES ITS GREAT POWERS ITS BOLDNESS HERMANDADES OF CASTILE WEALTH OF THE CITIES PERIOD OF THE HIGHEST POWER OF THE COMMONS THE NOBILITY THEIR PRIVILEGES THEIR GREAT WEALTH THEIR TURBULENT SPIRIT THE CAVALLEROS OR KNIGHTS THE CLERGY INFLUENCE OF THE PAPAL COURT CORRUPTION OP THE CLERGY THEIR RICH POSSESSIONS LIMITED EXTENT OF THE ROYAL PREROGATIVE POVERTY OF THE CROWN ITS CAUSES ANECDOTE OF HENRY III., OF CASTILE CONSTITUTIONAL WRITERS ON CASTILE CONSTITUTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY NOTICE OF MARINA AND SEMPERE