Astudillo is a Spanish municipality in the autonomous community of
Castilla y León
Castile, Castille or Castilla may refer to:
Places Spain
*Castile (historical region), a vaguely defined historical region of Spain covering most of Castile and León, all of the Community of Madrid and most of Castilla–La Mancha
*Kingdom of ...
belonging to the province of
Palencia
Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia.
Located in the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half o ...
. It is located northeast of the provincial capital, and has 1,106 inhabitants (2011) with an area of .
Toponym
The name Astudillo comes from Roman times, specifically from ''Tito Estatilio Tauro'' (
Titus Statilius Taurus
Titus Statilius Taurus was the name of a line of Roman senators. The first known and most important of these was a Roman general and two-time consul prominent during the Triumviral and Augustan periods. The other men who bore this name were hi ...
), the Roman general whose legions had their field operations in this
Vaccaei
The Vaccaei or Vaccei were a pre-Roman Celtic people of Spain, who inhabited the sedimentary plains of the central Duero valley, in the Meseta Central of northern Hispania (specifically in Castile and León). Their capital was ''Intercatia'' in P ...
region around the year 29 BC.
![Titus Statilius Taurus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Titus_Statilius_Taurus.jpg)
According to historical records, the name evolved from Ancient Latin in the times of
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
to modern Castilian: Statilium, Stutilium, Stitellum, Stutellium, Stutiellum, Stutiello, Studellum, Astutello, Astodello, Estodello, Estudillo, Astudil and Astudillo.
STUTILIUM can be found in the motto of the official Coat of Arms of the municipality of Astudillo.
History
![Astudillo - Real Mº Santa Clara 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Astudillo_-_Real_M%C2%BA_Santa_Clara_01.jpg)
Astudillo has ancient origins, Roman remains having been found within its surroundings. In the Middle and modern ages it was involved in textile production.
It was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1995. In the municipality there are several churches, the Castle of La Mota and the Convent of Santa Clara. The origins of Astudillo are prehistoric, having been located within its area several settlements from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Astudillo and the region were already occupied in Roman times.
![Castilloastudillo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Castilloastudillo.jpg)
![Castilloastudillo1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Castilloastudillo1.jpg)
In the 11th century, Astudillo was already head of Alfoz, so the town was a walled place from early medieval times, you can still see one of the six gates it had, the gate of San Martin, of the others only remains their memory and their names: Revilla, Santa Eugenia, San Pedro, Santa Clara and Santoyo. In the middle of the twelfth century, King Alfonso VII, granted privileges to the knights of Astudillo consisting in a wide range of exemptions and freedoms.
In the thirteenth century, King
Ferdinand III of León & Castile, ratified the charter of the town and extended with rights of merchandise, making it an important stronghold.
Throughout history several queens boasted the lordship of the town. In the twelfth century, it was
Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile
Eleanor of England ( es, Leonor; – 31 October 1214), was Queen of Castile and Toledo as wife of Alfonso VIII of Castile. She was the sixth child and second daughter of Henry II, King of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Early life and f ...
, wife of
Alfonso VIII of Castile. During the thirteenth century, it was the lordship of his daughter
Berenguela, and later of
Violant of Aragon
Violant or Violante of Aragon, also known as Yolanda of Aragon (8 June 1236 – 1301), was Queen consort of Castile and León from 1252 to 1284 as the wife of King Alfonso X of Castile.
Life
Violant was born in Zaragoza, the daughter of King ...
, wife of
Alfonso X the Wise
Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, es, el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. During the election of 1257, a dissident faction chose him to be king of Germ ...
. In the 14th century, it was the lordship of
María de Molina
María Alfonso Téllez de Meneses (c. 1265 – 1321), known as María de Molina, was queen consort of Castile and León from 1284 to 1295 by marriage to Sancho IV of Castile, and served as regent for her minor son Ferdinand IV (1295 - c.1301) ...
, who stifled the attempt to occupy the village by the rebel Juan Núñez de Lara. King
Peter of Castile
Peter ( es, Pedro; 30 August 133423 March 1369), called the Cruel () or the Just (), was King of Castile and León from 1350 to 1369. Peter was the last ruler of the main branch of the House of Ivrea. He was excommunicated by Pope Urban V for ...
and his lover,
María de Padilla
María Díaz de Padilla ( 1334 –Seville, July 1361) was the mistress of King Peter of Castile.
Family
She was a Castilian noblewoman, daughter of Juan García de Padilla (died between 1348 and 1351) and his wife María de Henestrosa (d ...
, who seems to have been born in the town, made Astudillo their habitual residence, having there the king's palace and the queen without a crown. In 1353, Maria de Padilla founded the Convent of Santa Clara, which can still be admired today.
Beatrice, daughter of María de Padilla and the king, was the lady of the town. Juan II of Castile established his chancellery in Astudillo. Later the town passesd to the lordship of Ruy Díaz de Mendoza whose heirs would be counts of Castrojeriz. In 1520, the town of Astudillo adheres to the communal uprising, joining the Junta de Burgos.
Palencia Turismo – Astudillo.
As a single town, Astudillo was one of the fourteen villages that made up the Castrojeriz district, which formed the Burgos
Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos.
Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of ...
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
, in the period between 1785 and 1833. In the 1787 Floridablanca Census, Astudillos fell under the ordinary jurisdiction of the Mayoralty lordship.
Astudillo was head of the judicial district from 1834 until the 1970s.
Politics
Demography
Population
Economy
Astudillo's main activity include agriculture, the food industry and electricity production. There are several wind farms around the village, along with a 1 MW photovoltaic system and some other smaller ones.
Famous residents
* Pedro I de Castilla, King of Castile.
*María de Padilla
María Díaz de Padilla ( 1334 –Seville, July 1361) was the mistress of King Peter of Castile.
Family
She was a Castilian noblewoman, daughter of Juan García de Padilla (died between 1348 and 1351) and his wife María de Henestrosa (d ...
.
* Juan de Tapia, guerrilla fighter.
* César Arconada, writer and journalist born in Palacios del Alcor.
* Marcelino García Velasco, poet and academian of the ''Institución Tello Téllez de Meneses'' born in the capital of Palencia, but spent his childhood in Astudillo.
* Carlos Bustillo, journalist.
* Oscar Husillos, athlete.
References
Bibliography
*
auto
{{authority control
Municipalities in the Province of Palencia