Where and when did the cortes in Spain appear?

The Cortes in Spain appeared in 1137 in Castile. They played the role of elective assemblies like the Parliament in England, the States General in France. The Cortes were created in order to gain the support of citizens in military operations and state affairs. They also regulated the relationship between the clergy and the common people. Initially, only nobles and clergy could take part in the Cortes, later – townspeople. The meeting of the Cortes was very important in 1202, when wealthy citizens bought the right to mint gold coins from the king.