August is a traditional festival month in Requena, and to delve into this tradition, this year's Document of the Month explores how Requena's councilors organized celebrations for royal births that occurred in 1601 and 1607. In the 17th century, festival days were not solely religious but also included civil celebrations, particularly those linked to the monarchy, such as weddings, coronations, deaths, or the births of heirs.
The conception of an heir was crucial for the dynasty's continuity and for forging European alliances. In 1601, the birth of the first daughter of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria-Stiria, Ana María of Austria, was a cause for effusive celebration. The monarch sent a message to Requena expressing gratitude for the birth, and following his wishes, the councilors prepared various events.
According to municipal records, the festivities included a procession led by the archpriests, accompanied by the ringing of bells. The Church's participation was fundamental, intertwining the profane political event with religious veneration, a characteristic of the sacralized societies of the Old Regime. Furthermore, guilds were required to display their “invenciones”, a parade of carts decorated according to their professions, and to appear in disguise with masks, always with permission from the mayor. Residents were also ordered to light luminarias in their windows and make bonfires in the streets to illuminate the town, with fines of six maravedis for non-compliance. Refusal to participate in the invenciones incurred a penalty of ten thousand maravedis for all officials of that guild.
Music, provided by the minstrels, accompanied spectacles such as a bullfight, for which four bulls were acquired. Equestrian shows were also organized, including the “correr sortija”, a game of skill involving a rider attempting to spear a ring with a lance while at a gallop, and the estafermo, an armed dummy that attacked the rider. These games, along with dances and music, formed the celebrations for the infanta's birth.
The financing of the events was managed by the senior ensign Miguel de Zapata and councilor Francisco Ferrer, with a total cost of 636.5 reales (21,640.5 maravedis), primarily funded by the lease of pastures and valleys.
In 1607, the formula was repeated for the birth of Infante Carlos of Austria, with a procession, the lighting of luminarias, and celebrations of dances and balls. Spectacles such as bullfights, masquerades, invenciones, and bell ringing were repeated, maintaining the town's festive tradition.
“"our lord was pleased to give birth to a daughter to the most serene queen my very dear and beloved wife, for which I give and give infinite thanks and remain with the contentment that is reasonable"
