Kingdom of Castile

The Kingdom of Castile was a medieval Christian kingdom of the Iberian Peninsula, tracing its origin to the ninth century County of Castile, an eastern frontier territory of the Kingdom of Leon. Castilian counts steadily gained autonomy through the tenth century, and Castile became a kingdom in its own right in 1065 when it separated from Leon. The two crowns were reunited between 1072 and 1157, and after 1230 the union of Castile and Leon became permanent, with Castile the dominant partner in the resulting realm. Castile expanded south through the Reconquista, developed its own language and law, and later formed the personal union of 1479 with Aragon that produced the joined Crown of Spain under the Catholic Monarchs, while remaining administratively distinct until 1716. As a nationality identity for a historical figure in this atlas, Castile designates a person native to or a subject of this kingdom before or during its later union with Aragon.