Castilla

Castilla, also known as Castile in English, is a historic region of the Iberian Peninsula that has played a central role in the political and cultural development of Spain. The name derives from the Latin castellum, meaning fortress or castle, reflecting the fortress towns that dotted its landscape during the early medieval period.

Geographically, Castilla lies on the central plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, the Meseta Central, and has traditionally been defined by its river basins and high plains between the major mountain ranges. In historical terms it comprises parts of what are today the autonomous communities of Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, with the region forming the core of the medieval kingdoms that later became the Crown of Castile.

Historically, the area originated as the County of Castile within the Kingdom of Asturias and León in the early Middle Ages. It evolved into the independent Kingdom of Castile between the 9th and 11th centuries and expanded southward during the Reconquista. In the 13th century Castile and León were united under the Crown of Castile, and in 1479 the dynastic union of Castile with Aragon under the Catholic Monarchs completed the political framework that would become modern Spain. Under Castilian rule, Spain built a vast overseas empire beginning in the late 15th century, profoundly shaping world history.

In the 19th and 20th centuries the term Castile was used in administrative divisions that distinguished Castile la Vieja (Old Castile) from Castile la Nueva (New Castile). Today, the historic concept survives in the autonomous communities of Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha. The Castilian language, or castellano, originated in this region and became the basis of standard Spanish.