The articles in the first part of this volume examine the place of the city in the historical development at Castile. The focus is on the social and economic history of Burgos, and the work is founded on detailed research in the archives of the area. Professor Ruiz also calls into question the long held belief in the democratic character of the medieval Castilian municipal life. In the second section he opens the field of enquiry to deal with the controversial question of what impact the conquest of Seville and the subsequent settlement at al-Andalus had on the realm of Castile, looking in particular at the demographic features and the emergence of latifundia. The following articles analyze the symbolism and ceremonial royal power, arguing that the claims for a sacred monarchy so usual in the medieval West were absent during this period of Spanish history, and that kings used popular secular ceremonies, not anointments or coronations, to legitimize their rule. The book then closes with a study of the origins of the Spanish Inquisition.