Aeci
Encyclopedia
Aeci (died 1010), Bishop of Barcelona from 995, was a warrior-prelate in the age of the Peace and Truce of God
. Besides military endeavours, mainly reconquista
(the re-conquest of Islamic territory), his episcopate was taken up with the repoblación
(re-settlement) of the Penedès
in the south of the diocese, on the frontier with al-Andalus
.
In 997 Aeci, as bishop, received a conditional gift from one Sendred Donús of land at La Boadella and a garden in the burgus (suburbs) of Barcelona. Among Sendred's several stipulations for the bishop was that the sacriscrinius (churchwarden
) Bonfill and his successors should not be removed from that post. In the church's cartulary, the Libri antiquitatum, the scribe has called this document a conveniencia (agreement), the earliest use of that spelling, which has persisted in modern Spanish.
Between 1000 and 1002, and again in 1003, the Muslims destroyed the fortified tower (turris) of La Granada
, a possession of the see of Barcelona. Twice, in 1005 and 1009, Aeci sold or exchanged ecclesiastical estates in an effort to raise the funds to rebuild it. In 1002 Aeci sent letters to the Roman curia
complaining that a certain nobleman named Geribert had seized the castle of Ribes
, which rightfully belonged to the bishops of Barcelona. The Papal court responded by sending letters, of apparently no effect, ordering Geribert to hand it back. He was still holding it at the time of his own death, four years after the bishop's, in 1014. In 1005 Aeci was fortunate enough to gain the castle of Barberà
, donated by testament to the see.
On 9 March 1009 Aeci founded the pia almoina or casa de la canonja of Barcelona, an "almshouse established at the cathedral church and administered typically by the bishop and chapter". An earlier piece of property which had been donated "to the cathedral, the poor, and pilgrims" by Bishop Vives was devastated by the sack of Barcelona by Almanzor in 985, but in 1009 Aeci donated an estate of his own for the same purpose ("to feed the canons and the poor") and gave it to the restored canonry. There was at that time no "clear distinction between voluntary and involuntary poverty".
Along with his fellow bishops Odó of Girona and Arnulf of Vic, Aeci took part in the razzia led on Córdoba
by Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
, and Ermengol I, Count of Urgell
, in 1010 and died on the battlefield along with Ermengol.
Peace and Truce of God
The Peace and Truce of God was a medieval European movement of the Catholic Church that applied spiritual sanctions in order to limit the violence of private war in feudal society. The movement constituted the first organized attempt to control civil society in medieval Europe through non-violent...
. Besides military endeavours, mainly reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
(the re-conquest of Islamic territory), his episcopate was taken up with the repoblación
Repoblación
The Repoblación was the ninth-century repopulating of a large region between the River Duero and the Cantabrian Cordillera which had been depopulated in the early years of the Reconquista....
(re-settlement) of the Penedès
Penedès
Penedès is a natural and historical region of the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the south of the Principality of Catalonia between the pre-coastal mountain range and the Mediterranean sea...
in the south of the diocese, on the frontier with al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
.
In 997 Aeci, as bishop, received a conditional gift from one Sendred Donús of land at La Boadella and a garden in the burgus (suburbs) of Barcelona. Among Sendred's several stipulations for the bishop was that the sacriscrinius (churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
) Bonfill and his successors should not be removed from that post. In the church's cartulary, the Libri antiquitatum, the scribe has called this document a conveniencia (agreement), the earliest use of that spelling, which has persisted in modern Spanish.
Between 1000 and 1002, and again in 1003, the Muslims destroyed the fortified tower (turris) of La Granada
La Granada
La Granada is a municipality in the comarca of Alt Penedès, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, a possession of the see of Barcelona. Twice, in 1005 and 1009, Aeci sold or exchanged ecclesiastical estates in an effort to raise the funds to rebuild it. In 1002 Aeci sent letters to the Roman curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
complaining that a certain nobleman named Geribert had seized the castle of Ribes
Ribes
Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
, which rightfully belonged to the bishops of Barcelona. The Papal court responded by sending letters, of apparently no effect, ordering Geribert to hand it back. He was still holding it at the time of his own death, four years after the bishop's, in 1014. In 1005 Aeci was fortunate enough to gain the castle of Barberà
Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...
, donated by testament to the see.
On 9 March 1009 Aeci founded the pia almoina or casa de la canonja of Barcelona, an "almshouse established at the cathedral church and administered typically by the bishop and chapter". An earlier piece of property which had been donated "to the cathedral, the poor, and pilgrims" by Bishop Vives was devastated by the sack of Barcelona by Almanzor in 985, but in 1009 Aeci donated an estate of his own for the same purpose ("to feed the canons and the poor") and gave it to the restored canonry. There was at that time no "clear distinction between voluntary and involuntary poverty".
Along with his fellow bishops Odó of Girona and Arnulf of Vic, Aeci took part in the razzia led on Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
by Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
Raymond Borrel , was count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 992. Son of Borrell II of Barcelona and Letgarda de Rouergue. He was associated with his father from 988....
, and Ermengol I, Count of Urgell
Ermengol I of Urgell
Ermengol I , called el de Córdoba, was the Count of Urgell from 992 to his death. He was the second son of Borrell II of Barcelona and his first wife, Letgarda...
, in 1010 and died on the battlefield along with Ermengol.
Further reading
- Josep Baucells i Reig, "La Pia Almoina de la seo de Barcelona: origen y desarrollo," A pobreza e a Assitência aos pobres na Península Ibérica durante a Idade Média (Lisbon: 1973), 1:73–135.
- Gaspar Feliu i Montfort, "El patrimoni de la seu de Barcelona durant el pontificat del Bisbe Aeci (995–1010)," Estudis universitaris catalans, 30 (1994): 51–68.