Las Encartaciones en la Edad Media

Abstract

In order to attempt to understand the situation of Las Encartaciones in the Middle Ages it is necessary to review the historical trajectory of the Seignory of Bizkaia during that era, since it is the political Framework in which Las Encartaciones is inserted. It is also convenient to remember which are the territorial distributions in valleys, councils and towns. The appearance of new forms of population as from the late 12th Century brings about the segregation of the space attributed to the towns in the general regime of the previous administration. The three towns that are founded in the territory of Las Encartaciones are created under the seignoral logic of defending frontiers and connecting the coast with the interior Plateau. However, history designed a particular destiny for each of those towns: Balmaseda, Lanestosa and Portugalete.