High Middle Ages

=== Iberia ===
{{See also|Spain in the Middle Ages|Reconquista}}
[[File:AlfonsoVIII.jpg|thumb|Miniature representing the delivery of the fortress of Uclés to the Master of Order of Santiago in 1174]]
A key geo-strategic development in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] was the Christian conquest of [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]] in 1085.{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|p=171}} Dominated by war, the societal structures and relations in the northern Christian kingdoms were subordinated to the demands of omnipresent military conflict.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=García Fitz|first=Francisco|title=Battle in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula: 11th to 13th century Castile-Leon. State of the art|journal=Imago Temporis|year=2016|doi=10.21001/itma.2016.10.01|hdl=10459.1/58852|pages=26–27|doi-access=free|hdl-access=free}}</ref> The territorial expansion of the northern Christian kingdoms to the south brought the creation of border societies, where military demands on knights and foot soldiers and the promotion of [[Settler|settlement]] were privileged to possible [[Seigneurialism|seigneurial]] income;{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|p=178}} [[Military order (religious society)|military orders]] also played an important role in the borderlands in the [[Meseta Central|southern meseta]].{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|p=179}} Agricultural models in areas with [[Mediterranean climate]] were generally based on biennial [[crop rotation]].{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|pp=185–186}} Despite population growth, agricultural output remained relatively rigid throughout the period; between the 10th and 13th centuries, migration southwards to exposed areas was incentivized by the possibility of enjoying privileges and acquiring properties.{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|pp=187}} Conversely, the [[Intensive farming|intensive agriculture]]-prevalent model in Muslim-ruled lands did not require territorial expansion.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Occidente vs. islam. Modelos agrarios, sociedad/frontera y poder militar en la Reconquista peninsular|first=Julián|location=Jaén|publisher=[[University of Jaén|Universidad de Jaén]]|last=Clemente Ramos|journal=Arqueología y Territorio Medieval|url=https://revistaselectronicas.ujaen.es/index.php/ATM/article/view/3787/3592/14834|issn=1134-3184|issue=25|year=2018|volume=25|pages=169–194|doi=10.17561/aytm.v25.6|s2cid=165549625|doi-access=free}}</ref> While Muslim lands enjoyed from a certain demographic and financial edge{{Clarify|date=July 2022|Reason=This sentence seems to be missing words; WHAT did Muslim lands enjoy from a certain demographic and financial edge?}}, [[Almoravid]]s and [[Almohad]]s from northern Africa featured volatile state structures.{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|pp=174–175}} Barring (unsuccessful) attempts to take Toledo, Almoravids and Almohads did not stand out for carrying out an expansionist policy.{{Sfn|Clemente Ramos|2018|p=183}}