Political sermons and audience. A critical review of preaching on the eve of the war of the Communities of Castile

Abstract

This article makes a critical review of mendicant political preaching before the War of the Communities of Castile, in particular of the sermons pronounced in Valladolid. The classical analyse of these events is based on misreadings which make it difficult to perceive the real subversive implications of these political sermons. Moreover, this new study permits to focus on additional questions recently analysed by historiography, such us the relationship between preaching and the reception of discourse by the audience. Finally, the article permits to focus on the role of preachers in the circulation of political concepts and languages.