El acceso a las dehesas de La Serena por los ganaderos trashumantes sorianos, 1590-1650

Abstract

En este artículo el autor analiza las condiciones en que las dehesas de la mesa maestral de Alcántara en La Serena, pertenecientes al rey de Castilla, eran arrendadas a los ganaderos trashumantes sorianos que llevaban a pastar allí sus ganados durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVI y primera mitad del siglo XVII, Demuestra que los arrendatarios sorianos de estas dehesas fueron siempre grandes propietarios, pertenecientes a unas pocas familias, que con frecuencia tomaban a renta pastos para más de 20.000 cabezas. y pone de manifiesto que las condiciones de arrendamiento de estas dehesas eran más favorables que las habituales en otras dehesas de invernadero, por lo que los arrendatarios de las mismas podlan ser considerados como privilegiados.

This article analyzes the terms and conditions under which the “deheasas” or pasture land in La Serena (province of Betieios} that belonged to the king of Castile as Master of the Military Order of Alcántara, were leased to the transhumant shepherds from Soria who took their livestock to that region in winter during the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century. The author shows that the Soria shepherds that leased these "dehesas" always owned very large flocks and were members of a reduced circle of fammilies, and that they usually rented pastures for more than 20,000 sheep. He also proves that the terms and conditions for renting these "dehesas" that belonged to the king were much better for the tenants than the standard ones for other "dehesas". These tenants were therefore considered as being in privileged positions.