They developed in the Middle Ages when elected representatives of free municipalities took part in the deliberations of the Curia Regis.  
They developed in the Middle Ages when elected representatives of free municipalities took part in the deliberations of the Curia Regis.  Composed of three estates: lawyers, nobles and clergy; they were called by the king.  First arising in Leon and Castile, the first modern one met at Cadiz in 1812 while the second one met at Lisbon in 1820, where they became the Spanish and Portuguese parliaments respectively.  FTP, give this term that also identifies the surname of the conquistador who overthrew Montezuma and conquered Mexico for Spain.
They developed in the Middle Ages when elected representatives of free municipalities took part in the deliberations of the Curia Regis.  
Cortes or Corts