Caballería
Sign in to saveThe '''''' () was a unit of land measurement in the Spanish viceroyalties in the Americas during the times of the Spanish Empire in the 16th through 19th centuries. It was equivalent to . The unit came from Spain, where it had already been in use.
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The '''' () was a unit of land measurement in the Spanish viceroyalties in the Americas during the times of the Spanish Empire in the 16th through 19th centuries. It was equivalent to . The unit came from Spain, where it had already been in use.
== History == A decree of King Ferdinand V on 18 June 1513 is the first known law granting land in the Americas to Europeans. The decree dictated that conquered lands could be granted to Spanish soldier in two units: caballerías and peonias. The decree extended to the New World a system Castile had already been using for areas it conquered in Europe. While a "peonia" was the amount of land granted a retiring foot soldier, a was the amount granted to a retiring cavalryman. The unit was over four times larger than a peonia.