Ganadería - History Lab

Distribution of land ownership in the Sierra de Alcaraz (1753). Cultivated land.

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:31 +0000

In mountain areas such as the Sierra de Alcaraz, land ownership was conditioned by the orography of the territory. In 1753, 28.3% of the land in this mountain range was under cultivation. Of this figure, almost 50% of the cultivation belonged to only 2% of the owners. Likewise, almost half of the total landowners owned only 2% of the arable land. The marked imbalance of ownership translated into different economic benefits: the concentration of land in a few hands meant that 17% of landowners owned more than 1,000 reals of gross produce, a figure that rose to more than 40,000 for the few individuals who owned the most; again, conversely, more than 70% of landowners owned less than 500 reals of produce. The rest of the uncultivated land, 71.7%, could belong to the Council, which was also controlled by the local elites. Livestock farming, like agriculture, showed the same tendency towards concentration in the hands of a few individuals. The survival and future of the less well-off depended on the leasing of land, either for cultivation or as pasture for livestock. These data are but one concrete example of the inequalities that existed in the Ancien Régime and which were perpetuated throughout southern Spain.

ce903a71c3599b9aa167d70dd0b4640f1 Download

The post Distribution of land ownership in the Sierra de Alcaraz (1753). Cultivated land. first appeared on History Lab.

Evolution of tithes during the 16th century in Majorca

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:25 +0000

In order to sustain the population growth in Mallorca in the 16th century, it was necessary to accompany it with an increase in agricultural production, which was accompanied by an increase in the prices of the species and the rent of the land, with a progressive revaluation of agricultural products.
A study of the tithes reveals the uneven evolution of crops throughout this century, with grain as the island’s main crop, but sometimes being insufficient for the island’s growing demand, and therefore having to resort to imports.
The agricultural aspect of Mallorca continued to grow thanks to the expansion of cultivated areas, often to the detriment of pastures and livestock, and more specifically in the first half of the 16th century. The areas where the population grew the most were the island’s cereal-growing areas par excellence, actively participating in the extensive agriculture carried out during these years.

The post Evolution of tithes during the 16th century in Majorca first appeared on History Lab.

The price of greenhouse leases in Castile (1750-1829)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:25 +0000

The Report on the Agrarian Law at the end of the 18th century denounced the imbalances in the privileges regarding transhumance, such as the prohibition for farmers to break or mark pastures with the right of possession, directly harming both livestock breeders and farmers, both advocates of a new agrarian policy that would truly address the new needs they had and take into account the characteristics of the available land.
After the Royal Decree of April 1793 was enacted, the owners of the dehesas began a sharp rise in the prices of their leases every time they were renewed, calling into question the traditional uses of the land in the search for a more social than private purpose, causing the transhumance crisis in Castile.

The post The price of greenhouse leases in Castile (1750-1829) first appeared on History Lab.

Density of population, farms and livestock per inhabitant in Galicia, 1752

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:25 +0000

In trying to explain the evolution of the Galician population between the 17th and 19th centuries, criteria can be established which characterise Galicia as one of the most dynamic areas, with its population doubling between 1591 and 1752, although the key is to study these demographic data throughout these centuries to see the reason for these variations.
In the mid-18th century, Lugo and Tui show the most differentiated values, with the former province being sparsely populated and enjoying a good number of livestock, while Tui has similar data for both people and livestock. The figures for Betanzos, Mondoñedo and Coruña are very similar, with the latter having slightly more population due to its position as the capital. Santiago, on the other hand, shows the weight of the Ulla valley and the coast, with areas with a large presence of terracing that condition the occupation of the land.

The post Density of population, farms and livestock per inhabitant in Galicia, 1752 first appeared on History Lab.

Professional structure of Villamayor de Calatrava (Ciudad Real), according to Memoriales and the Ensenada Cadastre

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:52 +0000

The Ensenada Cadastre offers a wealth of information for the analysis of the population and the household in the rural populations of Castile in the mid-18th century. In the professional sphere of the La Mancha region of Ciudad Real during the 18th century, biological reasons led sons to remain in the parental home for longer periods, as access to marriage was later than for women. The latter often worked in the same trade as their fathers, which required a longer period of apprenticeship and was a great economic help for the families of small farmers, artisans or muleteers who were on the edge of subsistence and needed their children to live. The analysis of age by groups of activity shows that in agriculture and livestock farming the dominant population is young, as those under 35 years of age account for 48.6%, followed at a considerable distance by those between 35 and 55 years of age, with 39.8%. The case of crafts and trades is similar to the predominance of the young population (58.3% under 35), compared to 25% and 16% of the other two groups. Only the service sector breaks the distribution, where the majority group is made up of the 35-55 age group.

The post Professional structure of Villamayor de Calatrava (Ciudad Real), according to Memoriales and the Ensenada Cadastre first appeared on History Lab.

Evolution of the productive structure of Lanzarote, 1601-1720

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:46 +0000

The discovery of the Canary Islands for Spain and Europe meant, with the conquest of the islands, that the native economy went from subsistence to a support economy, linked to supplying the voyages to Africa or America, and to an agro-export economy. The internal demography of the territory also affected the consumption pattern. At the end of the 16th century, the island of Lanzarote had little more than 1,500 inhabitants, leading to a decrease in cereal consumption and an increase in livestock farming. However, the 17th century saw a period of demographic recovery for Lanzarote, tripling its population and, consequently, its economic structure: from 1630 onwards, livestock farming declined and the “rayas” of the “vegas”, i.e. the land used for cereals and the boundaries separating the land, became more important. Within cereals, wheat production remained stagnant throughout the 17th century, while white barley production rose from 15,000 bushels to 70,000 bushels at the beginning of the following century. What was the cause of this growth? The author points out that, while wheat was more sensitive to rainfall, barley was better adapted to climatic instability and poorer quality soil.

The post Evolution of the productive structure of Lanzarote, 1601-1720 first appeared on History Lab.

Growth of livestock farming in Cantabria, 1598-1752

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:46 +0000

Livestock farming in Cantabria went from a phase of depression in the 17th century to the great expansion of the following century. The author analyses the evolution of this sector through two areas, one Atlantic, the Asturian valleys of Santillana, which showed a demographic explosion greater than the Hermandad de Campoo de Suso, a transition area towards the plateau. The demographic and economic growth, together with a decrease in taxes, led to the expansion of livestock farming: cattle and cattle tripled in number, pigs and horses doubled in number. Moreover, the greater diffusion of agriculture did not mean the decline of livestock as in other areas of Spain; on the contrary, many species became protagonists of the agricultural mechanics: small livestock served as an instrument of the ploughing advance against the mountain, large livestock as a draught force for ploughing, and the manure from both as fertile ferment for the seeds. With regard to the growth of the sector, the spread of maize in the coastal regions of Cantabria was the main reason for the greater growth of this area compared to the inland areas, as the demand for draught animals increased exponentially.

The post Growth of livestock farming in Cantabria, 1598-1752 first appeared on History Lab.