[1][2] It was formed by the towns of Seville, Cordoba, Ecija, and Jerez, on the frontiers with the Emirate of Granada, after the accession of the nine-year old Ferdinand IV (r. 1295–1312).
The town acted to form the confederation because they felt that rule of the young king left them vulnerable to raids from Granada or North Africa.
The hermandad met in Palma del Río in May 1313, raising funds for the regional defense and enacting a series of articles.
In the same year, it concluded a truce with Granada and declared that it would not accept anyone as new regent if appointed without their consent, and created a budget for the regional defense.
[3] The hermanded concluded an eight-year peace treaty with Ismail I of Granada in June 1320, without prior authorization of the crown.