JAÉN

The 17th century began with a deep crisis, result of the bad harvests, epidemics and the Austrias' politics (they did constant levies and pulled up taxes). Jaén lost population progressively and grew poorer, and it caused the deterioration of the oldest neighborhood.

 

Jaén, in the 18th century, was far away to find the splendor that lived during the 16th century, when the city was one of the 40 principal urban nucleus of Europe and had vote in Cortes. The crisis of the 17th century broke the state of the city, and it wasn't until the second half of the 18th century when Jaén began to recover shyly.

 

 José Martínez de Mazas, the founder of  the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País ,  described Jaén like a deserted city with ruined dwelling, where there wasn't barely farming production, not even wine and oil, and where the industry was absolutely miserable, the local government was controlled by some linages like 'Los Arquellada', 'Biedma', 'Mendoza' or 'Los Mesías'.