Asturias de Santillana facts for kids
Asturias de Santillana was a historical region in northern Spain. It covered most of what is now the Spanish community of Cantabria. It also included a small part of eastern Asturias. This area was like a special district, sometimes called a comarca. It was also known as a merindad. People have known about this region since the 1200s.
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Where Was Asturias de Santillana Located?
Asturias de Santillana was mainly in the central and western parts of today's Cantabria. It included the valleys of the Saja River and the Nansa River. Its borders stretched along the coast from a town called Ribadedeva to the area of El Astillero. This coastal line reached the Bay of Santander. To the south, it went up to the Cantabrian mountains. All the valleys in this region ran from the mountains straight to the coast.
Who Governed Asturias de Santillana?
This region was governed by special officials called merinos. They were representatives of the king. The main town and capital of this territory was Santillana del Mar in Cantabria. It became the capital in 1209.
The merinos built a Gothic tower to live in. This tower was separate from the old town center. It created a new town area focused on the Torre del Merino (Merino Tower). This new area became important for local government.
Later, in 1581, the way the region was governed changed. This happened after a legal case called the "Nine Valleys Lawsuit." The main governor was no longer called a merino major. Instead, they became known as a "corregidor." A corregidor was a local official who handled both administrative and legal matters.
Important Towns and Areas
Along the coast of Asturias de Santillana, you would find important towns. These included Santillana del Mar, Comillas, and San Vicente de la Barquera. Further inland, to the west, were the valleys of the Saja and Nansa rivers.
Powerful Families and Rulers
For a long time, during the Middle Ages and the period before the French Revolution (known as the Ancien Régime), Asturias de Santillana was controlled by powerful noble families. These included the Mendoza and Lasso de la Vega families. They were very influential, like the Dukes of the Infantado and the Marquises of Santillana. Other important families were the Manrique de Lara family, who were the Marquises of Aguilar de Campoo, and the Counts of Castañeda.
Between 1785 and 1833, Asturias de Santillana became part of a larger administrative area called the Quartermaster of Burgos.
See also
In Spanish: Asturias de Santillana para niños
