Transhumance
Since the Middle Ages, in the Gúdar-Maestrazgo mountain ranges there was an important livestock herd that transhumed to the lands of the Valencian coast. By means of paths, trails and shepherds followed different routes, taking advantage of the climatic complementarity offered by the different territories depending on the time of year.
Transhumance
Since the late Middle Ages, in the Gúdar-Maestrazgo mountain ranges, the system of transhumance of livestock was developed, a form of grazing based on the seasonal movement of herds between different geographical or climatic zones. The articulation of these routes served to complement the diet of the animals and to lighten the pressure on the pastures in the local area. After the conquest of the Kingdom of Valencia in the first half of the 13th century, the climatic complementarity offered by these territories allowed migratory routes to develop between inland and coastal territories. In this way, the cattle moved towards the coastal lands in search of pastures after the autumn rains to spend the winter. Later, at the beginning of the warmer months, they would move up again to take advantage of the abundant pastures in the sierras after the snows and winter rains.
The agricultural system in the Maestrazgo area
From the middle of the 12th century, after the Christian conquest of the territory of Maestrazgo, the foundations of a system that would give great prosperity to the region in the following centuries began to be established. The repopulation is based on the installation of peasant families who will work the land, implementing the so-called Mediterranean triad: bread cereals, whose production became surplus in some periods, vines and olives, in places where the weather conditions allowed it, complemented with horticultural products.
With this system, sheep farming coexists, an activity that will become predominant in the territory. In fact, after the conquest of the Kingdom of Valencia, James I, aware of the importance of livestock as a source of income, retained the power to exploit mountains, grass and uncultivated lands, granting privileges that benefited the ranchers of the mountains, who could take their livestock to the new conquered lands of the coast.
Economic activity linked to livestock farming
In addition to the privileges necessary for the development of transhumant livestock, others were established from the time of the conquest that laid the foundations
to boost trade in the region through the holding of markets and fairs.
The markets were held in the main towns of the territory – Aliaga (from 1196), Cantavieja (1225), Sant Mateu (1243), Morella (1257), Monrollo (1258), Castellote (1268) and Mirambel (1292)
– were held weekly and served to market the agricultural surpluses of the peasants.
The fairs were held in the most important towns – Sant Mateu (from 1255), Morella (1257), Valderrobres (1308), Mosqueruela (1366) and Monroyo (1382) – and were usually held annually. They were attended by merchants from the main urban centers of the Crown of Aragon and from different cities of the Western Mediterranean in search of different products, among which wool was of special interest, as it served to supply the powerful textile industries of their places of origin. Some owners of farms had large herds that they ceded in contracts of medianería to other farmers. In this way, they obtained a large quantity of wool that was bought in advance months before shearing. Likewise, some of these large landowners were the ones who controlled and stimulated the handicraft activity in the territory.
Conflicts over the use of pastures
In spite of the royal privileges and concessions granted to favor the development of transhumant cattle raising, this system was not free of conflicts. Thus, by the middle of the 13th century, there was already competition between different places for the control of the pastures. The rural communities contributed to shaping the spaces and livestock rights in the respective places and established protectionist measures, delimiting areas of common use that were only accessible to their inhabitants. The boalares and dehesas were created, spaces closed to foreign livestock, and different agreements were established between territories to favor the transit of cattle and expanding the areas for obtaining pastures.
A court of shepherds: the ligallo
The Ligallos were peculiar organizations or courts of communal character with medieval origins dedicated to the regulation of the trade and the defense of the interests of the shepherds.
The word ligallo comes from the Latin “ligare”, which means “to unite, to gather”. In its medieval origin, in these courts the cattlemen of a locality or territory met at least twice a year to regulate the return of lost or stolen cattle. Over the years, in the territory of Maestrazgo, their competences were extended to deal with issues such as disputes over contracts with shepherds, surveillance and control of watering troughs and troughs or the defense of members in lawsuits to enforce their grazing privileges, forming a representative and powerful body in relation to other sectors.
Bibliography
BRANCHAT, V., “Tratado de los derechos y regalías que corresponden al Real Patrimonio en el Reyno de Valencia y de la jurisdicción del intendente como subrogado en lugar del antiguo bayle general”, Valencia, MDCCLXXXIV, facsimile edition, Valencia, MCMXC.
FARNÓS, Àlex (coord.) “Cuadernos de la transhumancia n.º 14. Gúdar-Maestrazgo”. ICONA, ed. 1993.
RABASSA VAQUER, C. “Points on the institution of the ligallo. El ligallo de Culla”, Millars, XV, 1992.
ROYO PÉREZ, Vicent (coord.) “When Maestrazgo raised its palaces. Society, architecture and art in medieval and modern times”. Comarca del Maestrazgo, 2022.