During the Middle Ages, there were many different views or types of kingship in Europe. Spain itself also had various sovereignties within each of its peninsular kingdoms. Castile-Leon, for example, was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Spain and possessed a regal vision that rivaled even that of England and France. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Within Castile and León there were many individual states: Galicia, Asturias, Zaragoza, Castile and León. Eventually these states united as one kingdom while retaining their individuality and local customs. In 1217, when Alfonso IX ascended the throne, he tried to change succession customs and impose new laws. However, the people became angry at these attempts and refused to accept him as king; instead, they supported his son, Sancho. Alfonso, realizing that his position was at stake, gave in to the demands of the people. This is an example of the type of kingship that Castile and León possessed. Although the king was indeed the dominant ruler of his kingdom, if he ever strayed from the reign of tyranny, the people would unite to control his power. The English and French kingdoms, in retrospect, followed similar tactics. English kingship, like that of Castile and Leon, was kept in check by their democratic government, or use of parliament, which protected the rights of the people while mitigating the power of the king. French royalty, however, followed absolutism. In this sense, the kingship of Castile and Leon is very similar to that of France. This is because, although Castile-Leon had its Cortes, or parliament, these were mere figureheads with no power to stop the king. The kings of Castile and Leon ruled as monarchs who were only removed when they abused their power. This is why its kingship is very similar to that of France. At that time, the development of feudalism in Spain was unique, and the constant war against Muslims favored the king's authority. To illustrate this, one must consider how feudalism rapidly increased its influence and then stopped in Spain. This vassal system, in which a vassal offers his service to the king in exchange for protection and land, modified the king's authority. In fact, to become king, a certain number of vassals had to first swear their alliance. But although feudalism possessed these beneficial resources, it never truly developed in Spain. It was brought to a standstill and did not destabilize the structure of the state. The kingship remained as strong as ever. And the main cause of this was the constant war against Muslims. Spain needed visible and stable leadership in its fight against the growing threat of Muslim rule. Because of this, the king profited enormously from plunder, obtained more lands, and was able to reward his vassals with larger sums of money instead of giving them lands or positions in public office. Thus, the king's authority was thus aided. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Considering the above arguments, I would expect the future kings of Castile and Leon to be a mix of both parliamentary kings and absolute monarchs. The influence of the people is too strong for an absolute monarchy to exist, as already illustrated by the reign of Alfonso IX. But at the same time, the power of the king is also too great for the will of the people to prevail over that of the king. Therefore, it is very likely that the future kingdom of Castello-Leon will be a mixture of both.