The Council of Aranda

PRINCESS ELIZABETH’S SWEARING

1473

and

Festivity atmosphere on the streets

Spontaneous performances

medieval character

Play performances on the street

Princess’ Elizabeth’ SwearingOn october, 6th, 1473, months before being

crowned, Princess Elizabeth comes to Aranda and a

crowd, led by Carrillo Bishop, receives her and promises her loyalty.

The Princess swears the privileges, freedoms and exemptions that Aranda held form time

immemorial and the town supports her against Juana’s «la Beltraneja» succession ambitions. Two months later, the council will take place.

We come close to the history of Aranda with these two historical facts which were

represented as follows in 2011

solemnity

tradition

Santa María la Real Church (XV-XVI), with a elizabethan gothic style facade built by Simón de

Colonia

Alonso Carrillo, Archbishop of Toledo

in San Juan balcony

Lady Elizabeth and the Archbishop of Toledo

The Princess swears the town privileges

council retinue

the town

literature and …

… show

San Juan Bautista Church (s XIV-XV), today Sacred Museum . On the left, la Casa de las

Bolas.

Actors and actresses’ colaboration in the town

cultural festivity

Aranda’s council, summoned by the Archbishop of Toledo Alonso Carrillo de Acuña, was held in San Juan Bautista Church on December 1473. It was a trascendental political event with important ecclesiastical reform in a period of upheaval and transit from Medieval Age to modernity. There, sides were taken for Elizabeth against Juana ‘‘ la Beltraneja’’. In these last years, Aranda’s City Hall and the

Castilla y León Language Institute have been in charge of spreading this historical event with

theater performances where many local actors and actresses take part.

Aranda’s council

In the council, the Church took sides for Elizabeth

Assembly to fight ignorance and dissolute life

29 decrees were enacted

Thanks to Fotographies: Paco SantamaríaAnd Aranda de Duero City Hall

1st ESO Students’ Illustrations on Plastic and Visual Arts from IES VELA ZANETTI High School, Aranda de Duero 2014

Many of the characters we have seen are interpreted by several teachers and many students from Vela Zanetti High School, who take part in the Council performances every year.