Juan de Padilla Padilla, Juan de (hwän dā päħēˈlyä) [key],
c.1490–1521, Spanish revolutionary leader in the war of the
comuneros [municipalities] against Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
Charles's conduct and his foreign advisers offended Spanish
national feeling and led to a rising in Toledo under Padilla's
leadership (1520). Soon other Castilian cities rose and joined
Toledo in a Santa Junta [holy league]. Padilla sought to
legitimize the junta by securing the support of Charles's mad
mother, Joanna, but the movement soon degenerated into class
warfare. Padilla's army was defeated at Villalar (Apr., 1521),
and he was executed. The comuneros revolt was the most important
rising in Castile until the 19th cent. Its defeat permitted
royal absolutism to consolidate itself and led to a loss of
municipal liberties. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th
ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights
reserved. More on Juan de Padilla from Fact Monster: See more
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