Irish Revolt

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Castell Sandiás . Former aristocratic residence in Galicia, destroyed by the Irmandiños in 1467

Irmandinische Revolt ( Galician : Revolta Irmandiña, Spanish : Revuelta Irmandiña or Revuelta Hermandina) is the collective term for several uprisings of the peasants and the small nobility in Galicia in the 15th century. Their name is derived from the Galician word Irmandade (brotherhood) as an organizational form of the insurgents. Those involved were also called Irmandiños. There is also the term Movimiento Irmandiño (Irmandi movement). The Irish Revolt is comparable to the German Peasants' War .

Starting position

In the 14th century, Peter the Cruel and Henry of Trastamara fought over the Castilian throne. After Henry's victory, a new, violent nobility appeared with his party members in Galicia, attacking the existing institutions, attacking monasteries, bishops, citizens and peasants and robbing them of their properties. Examples of this new nobility were the Osorios in Lemos and Sarria , the Andrades in Pontedeume , the Sarmientos, Ulloas, Sotomaiores. These disputes made the 15th century the most conflicted epoch in Galician history. During this period of permanent social unrest, two events of far-reaching significance occurred: The Irmandian Wars.

The enemies of the Irmandiños were nobles, castle owners, the commissioners of the churches and large monasteries, preferred targets were the families Andrade, Lemos and Moscoso. During the two Irmandiños wars, the Irmandiños destroyed about 130 castles, fortresses and mansions, but they did not attack any churches or church officials.

The development of the Movimiento Irmandiño was made possible by what Carlos Barros called “mentalidad justiciera y antiseñorial” - the justice-loving and anti-rule spirit - of the medieval Galician population: they rejected the injustices of the rulers and called them “malhechores” - wrongdoers.

Irmandade Fusquenlla

The first uprising began in 1431 and was called "Irmandade Fusquenlla" (about Brotherhood of Twilight ) because of the main attack time . It broke out on the estates of Nuño Freire de Andrade, known by the population as "o Mao" (the bad guy), and was the reaction to the extreme harshness with which he treated his peasants. Over the districts of Pontedeume and Betanzos , the elevation quickly spread to the dioceses of Lugo and Mondoñedo and even to Santiago de Compostela . Roi Xordo , Hidalgo from A Coruña , led the troops of the "Irmandade Fusquenlla". Under his leadership, the Irmandiños conquered the Castelo de Moeche, the refuge of the Nuño Freire de Andrade, and other castles in Pontedeume, Monforte and Santiago. The Irmandade Fusquenlla was suppressed in 1437, Roi Xordo died during the fighting in Pontedeume.

Great Irish War

The Great Irmandi War lasted from 1467 to 1469. The participation of large population groups made this war a civil war, preceded by years of persistent crop failures and the plague . Alonso de Lanzós drove the preparation for the creation of an Irmandade Xeral (General Brotherhood, People's Council) in the years before with the support of various city councils (A Coruña, Betanzos, Ferrol , Lugo).

According to contemporary witnesses, the Irmandiños troops comprised over 80,000 fighters. Peasants, citizens, the lower nobility and even parts of the clergy participated in the organization and management (economic support from parts of the church). The top management consisted of the lower nobility. Pedro de Osorio operated in central Galicia, especially in the area around Santiago de Compostela, Alonso Lanzós led the survey in northern Galicia, Diego de Lemos in the south of Lugo and north of Ourense .

After the first onslaught of the Irmandiños, the nobility fled to Portugal and Castile . In 1469 Pedro Madruga organized the counterattack of the feudal lords from Portugal. He was able to count on great support from other noble families and the troops of the Archbishop of Santiago. The troops of the feudal lords were better equipped, including with arquebuses that were very modern at the time . They defeated the Irmandiños and arrested and executed their leaders. This victory was made possible by the support of the Castilian and Portuguese kings and facilitated by the division of the Irmandian troops.

After the victory, the Galician nobility became embroiled in a dynastic dispute, fueling its final disappearance from Galician territory.

Literature and web links

  • Carlos Barros, Lo que sabemos de los Irmandiños , Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Clío & Crimen, Revista en CD-ROM del Centro del Crimen de Durango, 2006, pp. 36-48

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Carlos Barros, (2006) Lo que sabemos de los Irmandiños, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Clío & Crimen, Revista en CD-ROM del Centro del Crimen de Durango, 2006, pp. 36-48