«Because of our knowledge about Him». To identify, designate, and attribute: the construction of (political) identities in the city of Cuenca in the 15th century

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show how political identity (in this case the city of Cuenca in the fifteenth century) is built on the basis of shared systems of relationships (of varied nature), shaping a sort of «playing field» common to all social actors. In this «playing field» («Crown of Castile»), political-identity relationships (as would any other kind of relationships) have been the object of theoretical constructions and a set of operating rules (regarding the use of the rules - correct or incorrect - of the game and the playing field itself) known to (and therefore, to a certain extent, shared by) all social actors. It is in the use (and abuse) of these rules and in the social actors’ position on the playing field where the differences identifying the diverse political-identity collectives are located. Differences and identifications that are especially emphasized by the operation (use) of the system of relationships that bind the social actors (political-identity collectives) present on the playing field.