Catalan Counties: Origins and Evolution
The Catalan Counties: Origins and Society
Who were the Counts?
The Counts were administrative jurisdictions, divisions of territories without links between them.
Who Ruled?
The Counts ruled directly for the king and managed the accounts.
Who Was in Charge Before Any County?
The Counts.
What Was the House of Barcelona?
The House of Barcelona was a county family that began with Wilfred the Hairy. It constituted the core of the Catalan aristocracy that became independent from the Franks.
What Happened After the Death of Wilfred the Hairy?
His children inherited the counties.
Why Was the Politics of the Frankish Kings in Septimania Attractive to the Hispano-Visigothic Population?
It gave prestige to the kingdom, and they were free to provide their intellectuals.
What Territories Were Repopulated at the Time of Wilfred the Hairy?
Alt Urgell, Ripoll, Cerdanya, and the recovered lands of central *Catalonia* (historically referred to as Andalusia in the text).
Where Did the Settlers Come From?
From central *Catalonia*. Aprisió: Farmers from villages were settled by the king and could become owners after 30 years of work.
Tenure
A working system where the owner gave a part of the collection to another peasant.
Misuses
A set of charges and feudal obligations, partly collected in the Usages of Barcelona.
Abandoned Farms (Ronecs Farms)
Abandoned farms.
Biga
Honest citizens.
Search
Middle class.
Bread
Taxes.
Council of One Hundred (Consell de Cent)
Council of One Hundred Citizens.
Letter of Settlement (Carta de Poblament)
It is a written law.
How Did the Catalan Counties Gain Independence from France?
In 1258, with the Treaty of Corbeil.
What is the Text of the New Rules to Collect Feudal Order in Catalonia?
Usages of Barcelona.
What Was Catalonia Known As?
Catalonia (historically referred to as Andalusia in the text).
Three Prominent Counts
Ramon Berenguer I, Ramon Berenguer III, and Ramon Berenguer IV.
How Did the Kingdom of Aragon Form?
Ramon Berenguer IV married Petronilla of Aragon, daughter of Ramiro II.
How Did the Crown of Aragon Function?
Each district retained its own laws and the rights of its culture. It did not function as a single state. People who went and conquered lands were given letters of settlement (cartas de publamento) and security.
Demographic, Economic, and Political Crisis
- Demographic: The population decreased.
- Economic: The incomes of the nobility diminished, and peasants were increasingly jobless.
- Political: There was a succession crisis.
Conflicting Sides
Peasants and Lords, King John II, the Catalan oligarchy, and the Biga and the Busca.
Causes of Conflict
The Busca and the Biga sought municipal power; the king and the oligarchy controlled politics; and the Lords faced opposition from peasants due to abuses.
End of the War
It ended in 1492 with the victory of King John II.
The Black Death
The Black Death killed half of the Catalan population and caused an economic, social, and political crisis.
Court
The King was in charge of convening and presiding over the courts.
Composition of the Courts
Three estates: nobility, clergy, and the wealthy bourgeoisie. Three members met on each arm, with three auditors per Count.