A typical Iberian peasant probably wouldn't have heard of Poland. The King or Emperor would be "the King" or "the Emperor" and might as well live on the Moon.
Not many people realise that the more distant locations in Shakespeare's plays were close to science fiction. If you were a British peasant visiting "Verona" or "Venice" was like visiting the ISS. You might get swept up to fight in France, and there was a tiny chance of joining the navy. But most people spent most of their lives within a tiny area, with little idea of what was happening elsewhere.
So cathedrals were stunning. If you somehow visited a cathedral city you'd be struck dumb by the size - unimaginable to someone who grew up on a small holding.
Not many people realise that the more distant locations in Shakespeare's plays were close to science fiction. If you were a British peasant visiting "Verona" or "Venice" was like visiting the ISS. You might get swept up to fight in France, and there was a tiny chance of joining the navy. But most people spent most of their lives within a tiny area, with little idea of what was happening elsewhere.
So cathedrals were stunning. If you somehow visited a cathedral city you'd be struck dumb by the size - unimaginable to someone who grew up on a small holding.