Kingdom of Jaén facts for kids
The Kingdom of Jaén (Spanish: reino de Jaén) was a special area that belonged to the Crown of Castile. The Crown of Castile was a powerful kingdom in what is now Spain. The Kingdom of Jaén existed from 1246 until 1833.
It was called a "kingdom" but it was part of a larger one, like a region within a country. People also knew it as the "Holy Kingdom" ("Santo Reino"). Its land was very similar to the province of Jaén we know today. Jaén was one of the Four Kingdoms of Andalusia in southern Spain. Its exact borders were written down in a big survey called the [Respuestas Generales del Catastro de Ensenada] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) between 1750 and 1754.
Like other kingdoms within Spain, the Kingdom of Jaén was ended by a new plan for Spain's regions in 1833.
Contents
What Was the Kingdom of Jaén?
The Kingdom of Jaén was not an independent country. Instead, it was one of several "kingdoms" that made up the larger Crown of Castile. Think of it like a state or a big province within a country. It had its own special rules and history.
Its Location and Importance
The Kingdom of Jaén was located in the southern part of Spain. This area is now called Andalusia. It was one of the four main kingdoms in Andalusia. Its location was important because it was a key area during the time when Christian kingdoms were taking back land from Muslim rule in Spain.
How We Know Its Borders
To understand the exact size of the Kingdom of Jaén, we can look at old records. One important record is the [Catastro de Ensenada] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help). This was a huge survey done in the mid-1700s. It collected information about land, people, and wealth across Spain. The survey helped map out the borders of the Kingdom of Jaén very clearly.
The End of the Kingdom
The Kingdom of Jaén existed for many centuries. However, in 1833, Spain changed how its regions were organized. A new plan was created by Javier de Burgos. This plan divided Spain into new provinces. Because of this, the old "kingdoms" like Jaén were officially ended. They were replaced by the modern provinces we see today.
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Map of the Kingdom of Jaén, based on the Respuestas Generales del Catastro de Ensenada
(1750–54)
See Also
In Spanish: Reino de Jaén (Corona de Castilla) para niños
