County of Pallars Jussà
Encyclopedia
The County of Pallars Jussà or (Pallás) Jusá, meaning Lower Pallars, was a county in the Hispanic March during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, long after the march had ceased to be effectively administered by the Kings of France. It was a division of the County of Pallars
, which had been de facto, and possible de jure, independent since the late ninth century. It roughly corresponded with the modern Catalan comarca
of Pallars Jussà
.
. Pallars Jussà comprised the valley of Flamicell, the left bank of the Noguera Ribagorzana, and Pobla de Segur. It had a frontier with the Moorish Conca de Tremp and Montsec
and its capital was at Segur
.
By the year 1000, the economic and social centre of Pallars was located in the Pobla de Segur and Tremp, in Pallars Jussà. It was wealthier than Pallars Sobirà and capable of expansion in the Reconquista
against the Muslim territory to its south. Raymond III, however, ignored the opportunities of war with the Moor, rather leaving the such venues open to Arnau Mir de Tost
, a baron from the County of Urgell. Raymond IV
, son and successor of Raymond III, was also prevented from concentrating on the border by the attacks of his neighbours, his cousin Artau I of Pallars Sobirà
, Ermengol III of Urgell
, and the noble family of the Vallferrera.
. Because Pallars Jussà was so much richer and populous than the poor and mountainous Pallars Sobirà, the nobles of the latter country designed to eliminate the authority of Raymond IV in the former country. Artau himself was barely a count, more so the war leader of a band of powerful feudatories whose objective was the pillage of the wealthier rural communities of the lower territories of Pallars Jussà and the repeal of their rights of tax exemption and other immunities. The peasants of Pallars Jussà were heavily burdened by arbitrary exactions, forced labour, and military service. The barons had the right to exact toltae, forciae, and usatici, that is, "customary levies."
In the ensuing war, Raymond IV lost most of his fortresses, including his capital, Segur.
With reduction of their count, the nobles of Pallars Jussà took the opportunity to renounce their obligations to him and to secure their position in the castles as private properties. Many of them allied with Artau. It was only with the aid of the Moors, received sometime before Artau's death in 1081, that Raymond IV was able to regain his position and establish a peace in his Pallars Jussà. The peace lasted a long time, for the son of Artau I, Artau II
(1081–1124), is recorded as never having fought with his relatives of Pallars Jussà.
, who moved in the orbit of Alfonso the Battler
and participated in the negotiations which followed the retirement of Ramiro II of Aragon
in 1137. He was a faithful follower of Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona and Alfonso II of Aragon
, who granted him the city of Fraga
.
Around 1161, Arnau founded the new city of Vilanova de Pallars (Palau Noguera), which he granted a charter of tax exemption in 1168. Arnau by his will left Pallars Jussà to the suzerainty of the Knights Hospitaller
, but his son Raymond V repudiated this. When Raymond's heiress, Valença, died heirless, she was succeeded by Dolça de Só, the daughter of Bernard Raymond. In 1192, she donated the county to Alfonso and the Crown of Aragon
(specifically the Kingdom of Aragon
) with the recognition "of many knights and other good men of the land." Pallars Jussà was the last major county to be annexed to the Crown. Urgell remained independent and Pallars Sobirà and Empúries
were minor counties in comparison.
In the late eleventh century, a troop of mercenaries called paillers probably hailed from Pallars, though the contemporary chronicler Geoffrey of Vigeois derives the name from palearii (strawmen). The paillers were active in the early wars involving Raymond V of Toulouse
and the Albigensians.
County of Pallars
The County of Pallars or Pallás was a de facto independent petty state, nominally within the Carolingian Empire and then West Francia during the ninth and tenth centuries, perhaps one of the Catalan counties, originally part of the Marca Hispanica in the ninth century...
, which had been de facto, and possible de jure, independent since the late ninth century. It roughly corresponded with the modern Catalan comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
of Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a comarca in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name means "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains is Pallars Sobirà. Its capital and largest municipality is Tremp.-Municipalities:Populations are...
.
Division of Pallars
In 1011, Sunyer of Pallars died and by his testament his county was divided between his sons, the eldest, Raymond III, receiving Pallars Jussà and the younger, William II, receiving Pallars SobiràCounty of Pallars Sobirà
The County of Pallars Sobirà or Sobirá, meaning Upper Pallars, was a county in the Hispanic March during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, long after the march had ceased to be effectively administered by the Kings of France. It was a division of the County of Pallars, which had been de facto,...
. Pallars Jussà comprised the valley of Flamicell, the left bank of the Noguera Ribagorzana, and Pobla de Segur. It had a frontier with the Moorish Conca de Tremp and Montsec
Montsec
Montsec may refer to:* Serra del Montsec* Montsec, Meuse, a commune of the Meuse département, in France...
and its capital was at Segur
Ségur
-People:The Ségur family included many notable personages of France, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg and the United States:...
.
By the year 1000, the economic and social centre of Pallars was located in the Pobla de Segur and Tremp, in Pallars Jussà. It was wealthier than Pallars Sobirà and capable of expansion in the 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...
against the Muslim territory to its south. Raymond III, however, ignored the opportunities of war with the Moor, rather leaving the such venues open to Arnau Mir de Tost
Arnau Mir de Tost
Arnau Mir de Tost was a Catalan nobleman of Urgell, the lord of Llordà and viscount of Àger, a major figure in the eleventh-century Reconquista in Catalonia...
, a baron from the County of Urgell. Raymond IV
Raymond IV of Pallars Jussà
Raymond IV was the Count of Pallars Jussà from 1047 until his death in 1098. He was the son and successor of Raymond III and Ermessenda. His reign was characterised by ceaseless wars and litigations with his cousins Artau I and Artau II of Pallars Sobirà, yet it was transformative in the history...
, son and successor of Raymond III, was also prevented from concentrating on the border by the attacks of his neighbours, his cousin Artau I of Pallars Sobirà
Artau I of Pallars Sobirà
Artau I was the Count of Pallars Sobirà from 1049 until his death in or around 1081. His reign was characterised by ceaseless wars and litigations with his more powerful cousin and neighbour Raymond IV of Pallars Jussà....
, Ermengol III of Urgell
Ermengol III of Urgell
Ermengol III , called el de Barbastre, was the Count of Urgell from 1038 to his death. He was the son of Ermengol II and Constance, daughter of the Count of Besalú....
, and the noble family of the Vallferrera.
War with Pallars Sobirà
In Pallars Jussà during the eleventh century the comital power was violently reduced by the incessant attacks of the rebellious nobility, supported as they were by Artau of Pallars Sobirà and Ermengold of Urgell, who intended to extend his own border to the Muslim kingdom of LleidaLleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
. Because Pallars Jussà was so much richer and populous than the poor and mountainous Pallars Sobirà, the nobles of the latter country designed to eliminate the authority of Raymond IV in the former country. Artau himself was barely a count, more so the war leader of a band of powerful feudatories whose objective was the pillage of the wealthier rural communities of the lower territories of Pallars Jussà and the repeal of their rights of tax exemption and other immunities. The peasants of Pallars Jussà were heavily burdened by arbitrary exactions, forced labour, and military service. The barons had the right to exact toltae, forciae, and usatici, that is, "customary levies."
In the ensuing war, Raymond IV lost most of his fortresses, including his capital, Segur.
With reduction of their count, the nobles of Pallars Jussà took the opportunity to renounce their obligations to him and to secure their position in the castles as private properties. Many of them allied with Artau. It was only with the aid of the Moors, received sometime before Artau's death in 1081, that Raymond IV was able to regain his position and establish a peace in his Pallars Jussà. The peace lasted a long time, for the son of Artau I, Artau II
Artau II of Pallars Sobirà
Artau II , the Count of Pallars Sobirà from 1081 until his death c.1115, was active in the Reconquista and sometimes referred to himself as comes et marchio , because he governed a frontier district...
(1081–1124), is recorded as never having fought with his relatives of Pallars Jussà.
Catalan leadership
In 1055, Raymond IV completed a marriage alliance with Arnau Mir by wedding his daughter Valença. Their successors reigned down until 1124 when the last of them, Bernard Raymond, who had fought with Raymond Berengar III of Barcelona against Lleida, died in the Battle of Corbins. Bernard was succeeded by his nephew Arnau MirArnau Mir of Pallars Jussà
Arnau Mir was the Count of Pallars Jussà from 1124/6 until his death.The Memoria renovata, which dates to the reign of Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona over the Kingdom of Aragon, contains a genealogy of Arnau Mir...
, who moved in the orbit of Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso the Battler
Alfonso I , called the Battler or the Warrior , was the king of Aragon and Navarre from 1104 until his death in 1134. He was the second son of King Sancho Ramírez and successor of his brother Peter I...
and participated in the negotiations which followed the retirement of Ramiro II of Aragon
Ramiro II of Aragon
Ramiro II , called the Monk, was King of Aragon from 1134 until withdrawing from public life in 1137...
in 1137. He was a faithful follower of Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona and Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...
, who granted him the city of Fraga
Fraga
Fraga is the major town of the comarca of Bajo Cinca in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. It is located by the river Cinca.King Alfonso I of Aragon died at its walls in 1134 while trying to conquer it...
.
Around 1161, Arnau founded the new city of Vilanova de Pallars (Palau Noguera), which he granted a charter of tax exemption in 1168. Arnau by his will left Pallars Jussà to the suzerainty of the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, but his son Raymond V repudiated this. When Raymond's heiress, Valença, died heirless, she was succeeded by Dolça de Só, the daughter of Bernard Raymond. In 1192, she donated the county to Alfonso and the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
(specifically the Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
) with the recognition "of many knights and other good men of the land." Pallars Jussà was the last major county to be annexed to the Crown. Urgell remained independent and Pallars Sobirà and Empúries
County of Empúries
The County of Empúries was a medieval county centred on the town of Empúries and enclosing the Catalan region of Peralada. It corresponds to the historic comarca of Empordà....
were minor counties in comparison.
In the late eleventh century, a troop of mercenaries called paillers probably hailed from Pallars, though the contemporary chronicler Geoffrey of Vigeois derives the name from palearii (strawmen). The paillers were active in the early wars involving Raymond V of Toulouse
Raymond V of Toulouse
Raymond V was count of Toulouse from 1148 until his death in 1194.He was the son of Alphonse-Jordan. When Alphonse died in the Holy Land in 1148, the county of Toulouse passed to his son Raymond, at the time 14 years old....
and the Albigensians.
List of counts
- Raymond III (1011–1047)
- Raymond IVRaymond IV of Pallars JussàRaymond IV was the Count of Pallars Jussà from 1047 until his death in 1098. He was the son and successor of Raymond III and Ermessenda. His reign was characterised by ceaseless wars and litigations with his cousins Artau I and Artau II of Pallars Sobirà, yet it was transformative in the history...
(1047–1098) - Arnau Raymond (1098–1112)
- Peter Raymond (1098–1112)
- Bernard Raymond (1112–1124)
- Arnau MirArnau Mir of Pallars JussàArnau Mir was the Count of Pallars Jussà from 1124/6 until his death.The Memoria renovata, which dates to the reign of Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona over the Kingdom of Aragon, contains a genealogy of Arnau Mir...
(1124–1174) - Raymond V (1174–1177)
- Valença (1177–1182)
- Dulce de So (1182–1192)
Sources
- Bisson, Thomas N. "The Problem of Feudal Monarchy: Aragon, Catalonia, and France." SpeculumSpeculum (journal)Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies is a quarterly academic journal published by the Medieval Academy of America. It was established in 1926. The journal's primary focus is on the time period from 500-1500 in Western Europe, but also on related subjects such as Byzantine, Hebrew, Arabic, and...
, 53:3 (Jul., 1978), pp 460–478. - Bisson, Thomas N. "Celebration and Persuasion: Reflections on the Cultural Evolution of Medieval Consultation." Legislative Studies Quarterly, 7:2 (May, 1982), pp 181–204.
- Bisson, Thomas N. "Unheroed Pasts: History and Commemoration in South Frankland before the Albigensian Crusades." SpeculumSpeculum (journal)Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies is a quarterly academic journal published by the Medieval Academy of America. It was established in 1926. The journal's primary focus is on the time period from 500-1500 in Western Europe, but also on related subjects such as Byzantine, Hebrew, Arabic, and...
, 65:2 (Apr., 1990), pp 281–308. - Freedman, Paul. "Military Orders and Peasant Servitude in Catalonia: Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries." The Hispanic American Historical Review, 65:1 (Feb., 1985), pp 91–110.
- Cheyette, Fredric L. Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001.