Alfonso Carrillo de Acuña: his political and ecclesiastical career in 15th-century Castile.

The present doctoral project focuses on the figure of Alfonso Carrillo de Acuña (1412-1482), who was Primate Archbishop of Spain for decades (r.1446-1482). He has been subject of scholarly interest for his involvement in the evolution towards the Spanish modern state during the transition from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern period. In particular, Carrillo made it possible for Isabella and Ferdinand, later known as the Catholic Monarchs, to marry and gain access to the Castilian throne. Although Carrillo's political undertakings have been studied quite thoroughly, other aspects of his career as an archbishop, such as his initiatives to reform the Church and establish educational institutions, as well as his involvement in humanist intellectual circles, have barely been covered. My doctoral project attempts to remedy this situation by undertaking a comprehensive study of all aspects of Carrillo's life and linking them together in an all-encompassing study. In this way, I also wish to gain insight into reform initiatives within the Castilian Church, which prepared and even made possible the work of Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros. I would like to do my research explicitly in English, so that it can enter into a dialogue with other European historical contexts.