ABSTRACT
Spain is one of the oldest political units in Europe. The dynastic union between Castile and Aragon comprised separate kingdoms with different legislations and autonomous institutions, as well as a multiplicity of languages. Nevertheless, all the people living in these territories were the subjects of the Spanish Monarchy, and most of them shared the Catholic religion, gradually forging an overarching 'ethno-patriotic identity' which was characterized by the fusion of religious and political identities.
