Riqueza, circulación de bienes y élites rurales en León en los siglos X y XI.

In the medieval world wealth was a means to establish and reinforce social relationships that were presented as bonds of friendship, loyalty and dependency. This study examines how wealthy rural dwellers, the elites in rural communities flow their goods besides market exchange. To that end, it analyzes, on the one hand, the flow of goods within the rural community and on the other, gifts to or from lay and ecclesiastical aristocracies. It is suggested that in the tenth century, upon the onset of lay and monastic lordship in northern Iberia, there was a heavy horizontal flow of goods since wealthy rural dwellers consolidated their property and social standing by lending and helping peasants in need. However, the extension of lordship since late tenth century modified partially this social dynamics. Loans promoted peasant subjection and, in turn, wealthy rural dwellers were capable of establishing more direct and fruitful bonds with aristocracies through the exchange of goods and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]