 With the Parliament of Catalonia ("Corts Catalanes") and the Catalan constitutions, Catalonia developed one of the first constitutional monarchies in Europe.Catalonia is said to have "reached her maximum splendor" at this time, and possessed a strong literary tradition, especially represented by the "Jocs Florals", a form of poetry contest.After the union of Castilian and Aragonese Crowns (1479), Catalonia continued as a distinct political entity under the Spanish crown, retaining its political liberties.