The Territory of the South Chancery

Maps, plans, and drawings in the cases of the royal audience and chancery of Granada 1575–1814

By Andalusian Archives

Real Chancillería de Granada

Map of Spain and Portugal (1686) by Pierre Duval.Andalusian Archives

This exhibition shows part of the collection of maps, plans, and drawings from the Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Granada.

All of these figurative documents share the common denominating factor of having played an integral part in lawsuits and proceedings, where they were submitted as evidence.

The documents that form part of this exhibition illustrate a wide variety of themes in a straightforward way. They can be divided into two broad categories: those that reference architecture and the urban environment, and representations of territory.

Bridge, Dam, and Irrigation Channel in Alcalá del Júcar (1760)Andalusian Archives

Streets, bridges, and roads

Documents have been preserved from right across the jurisdiction of the Chancery. Of all of them the greatest number come from the Kingdom of Granada, particularly from its capital, as well as from the rest of the kingdom, Andalusia, Murcia, and Castilla La Nueva.

Plan of the bridge, dam, and "acequia" (dike) on the River Júcar that irrigates the orchards of Juan Elorriaga and the Garrido mills, between Alcalá de Júcar (Albacete) and Requena (Valencia).

Bridge over the Genil River (1708)Andalusian Archives

Bridge over the Genil River toward Loja (Granada).

Map of Puente Genil (18th century)Andalusian Archives

Map of the Genil Bridge (Córdoba) from the slopes of Málaga towards Granada, and the confluence of the Genil River and Rigüelo de las Yeguas. This fabric map contains references and legends marking legally disputed properties.

Road from Venta de Linares to Puerto del Rey (Jaén) (1707) by Pedro Gallo.Andalusian Archives

The road from Venta de Linares to Puerto del Rey (Jaén). The old route is shown in blue and the new royal road is marked in red. This was the main communication route between Andalusia and Madrid at the beginning of the 18th century.

Map of the Region of Guadix (18th century)Andalusian Archives

Map of the Guadix region (Granada) and of the roads that connect the populations of Guadix, Cúllar, Darro, Píñar, and Iznalloz. The legend on the side of the map, as well as the figures and letters, show the location of the land involved in the law suit.

Bridge over the Guadalquivir River in Baeza (1570) by Francisco del Castillo and Andrés de Vandelvira.Andalusian Archives

Bridge on the Guadalquivir River in Baeza (Jaén), as per the plans of Andrés de Vandelvira and Francisco del Castillo el Mozo.

Map of the Pedregal del Genil Estate (1795) by Josefus à Garcia, Academicus Granatensis faciebat.Andalusian Archives

Water for agriculture and industry

The Royal Audience and Chancery of Granada (1494–1835) was the highest court of appeal for territories of the Castilian crown situated to the south of the river Tajo. Through the "Real Acuerdo" it was an important governmental body for this jurisdiction and was also the only place a royal seal was kept in the area. This elevated the city of Granada to court status and bestowed it with a royal association.

Plan of the estate of Pedregal del Genil, between the Gorda and Candil "acequias" in Granada. These "acequias" were part of the incredibly significant network that allowed the irrigation and supply of water to the city and its lowlands, and whose management was ordered in the 14th century at the "Juzgado de las Aguas de Granada."

Map of the Arroyo del Juncal Watercourses (1760)Andalusian Archives

Plan of the Arroyo del Juncal waters and the Albarado and Caño orchards where the source of the Pasil is found, with its system of dams and water mills. Amongst them is the La Vigüela mill at Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz).

Dam on the Colomera River (18th century) by Francisco de Arenas and Juan de Ortega.Andalusian Archives

Dam on the Colomera river to serve crops and woodland in this part of Granada.

Villaverde Meadows in Montoro (1738)Andalusian Archives

Plan of the Dehesa de Villaverde in Montoro (Córdoba) and of the water and threshing mills on the Guadalquivir River.

Map of the Genil River in Íllora (18th century) by Josep Medina y Marín, painter.Andalusian Archives

Plan of the Genil River passing through Brácana en Íllora farm (Granada). Also depicted is the dried meander and the new watercourse.

Map of La Recueja in Jorquera (1789) by Sebastián Piqueras and Fernando Antonio Chumillas.Andalusian Archives

Towns and cities

A large number of the maps, plans, and drawings relate to the territories of the Kingdom of Granada, its capital in particular, and other parts of the kingdom of Andalusia, Murcia, and Castilla de Nueva.

Plan of La Recueja en Jorquera (Albacete) at the meeting point of the Júcar and Carrera Rivers.

Map of the Town of Mancha Real (1570)Andalusian Archives

Map of the town of Mancha Real (Jaén). The town plan of Mancha Real follows a classic model of having a "decumen", (an east-west road) joining a "cardo" (a north-south road) at the town square where the church, town hall, and shops were located. The checkerboard layout of the homestead references the owner of each unit and their corresponding plot of land in the distribution of the new population.

Map of Baza (1814)Andalusian Archives

Partial plan of the city of Baza with adjacent cave houses (Granada).

Map of Pruna and Morón de la Frontera (1751) by Manuel Rodrígues, profesor del arte de la pintura and Diego Linero, agrimensor.Andalusian Archives

The countryside, estates, and country houses

These painted canvases depict places, people, and buildings, and were prepared through a process of direct observation. They were created by painters who were acting in a legal capacity for those who commissioned topographical representations to accompany witness statements.

Map of Pruna and Morón de la Frontera (Sevilla).

Map of the Los Teatinos Property (18th century) by Carlos Cayetano Ballester and Josef del Barco y Tomás.Andalusian Archives

Plan of the Los Teatinos estate (Jaén).

Map of the Palomarejo Property in Úbeda (1777) by José García Espantaleón, Eusebio Sánchez de Molina, José Antonio Belber and Juan Bello.Andalusian Archives

Painted canvas of the land and country estates between El Romeral and Tembleque (Toledo).

Map of Land in Cañete la Real (1782) by Joseph Pesio.Andalusian Archives

Map of the land in Cañete la Real (Málaga).

Guadalquivir River in Córdoba (1753)Andalusian Archives

The Guadalquivir River in Córdoba and a depiction of the city from the Campo de la Verdad.

Credits: Story

The Territory of the South Chancery

Organized by:
Ministry of Culture of the Regional Government of Andalusia.

Commissioned by: David Torres Ibáñez.
Text by: David Torres Ibáñez. Archive of the Royal Chancellery of Granada.
Photography: Archive of the Royal Chancellery of Granada.
Digital design: Charo Andreu Abrio. Directorate General of Cultural Innovation and Museums.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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