Death was very popular in the 15th century, in literary circles, the visual arts and in the Church. This study of death in 15th-century Castile draws on evidence from literature and other written documents to explore attitudes towards death, the afterlife and the bereaved in a strictly hierarchial society. Laura Vivanco reveals two coherent and sometimes conflicting ideologies co-existing among two elite groups, the oradores and defensores . She discusses in detail the main features of these belief systems with regard to the process of dying, the journey and ultimate destination of the soul, the importance of leading a good and noble life, honouring your descendents and whether prayer and the role of the bereaved could change the outcome of the afterlife. Many Spanish extracts are not translated.