The Iberian peninsula is the south-westernmost part of Europe, in present day Spain and Portugal. During the conquests of America from the 15th to 18th century, Spain and Portugal were heavily urbanized, many peasants lived in small villages and towns. Patriarchal families were emphasized heavily, but women had active roles in family life. It upheld its tradition of slavery, unlike the majority of medieval Europe. The political centralization was dependant on a professional bureaucracy, mostly made up of male lawyers and judges. The church acted as the pillar of politics in Iberia; close links between church and state were the result of reconquest of the peninsula from the Muslims. All of this influenced greatly the colonies in the New World.