The revolt of the Castilian Communes began with the gentry and spread from them to the lower classes.

Even the grandees joined forces with the rebels, though more from fear than from sympathy.

The various revolting communes formed a central council, the Santa Junta, and put forth a program re-asserting the rights of the Cortes to redress grievances.

Meeting for a time with no resistance, the rebellion disintegrated {428} through the operation of its own centrifugal forces, disunion and lack of leadership.

So at length when the government, supplied with a small force of German mercenaries, struck on the field of Villalar, the rebels suffered a severe defeat.