Juan Ximénez Cerdán
Encyclopedia
Juan Ximénez Cerdán (c. 1355 – aft. 1435) was a fiscal and constitutional lawyer and legal theorist who served as the Justicia Mayor of the Kingdom of Aragon
from 1390 until 1423. He was a son of Domingo Ximénez Cerdán, also a Justicia, and María Sanz de Aliaga. He married María Pérez del Sou. In his capacity as Justicia he presided over the important Cortes
of 1398 (during the succession dispute between Martin I of Sicily
and Matthew of Foix) and 1412 (in the leadup to the Compromise of Caspe
, in which he supported Ferdinand of Antequera). When he was eighty years old, at the request of Martín Díez de Aux, Juan wrote a Carta or Letra intimada ("intimate letter") detailing the history of the office of the Justiciazgo. It was later published in the final edition of the Fueros y observancias de Aragón (1624) and was an important source for the legend of the Laws of Sobrarbe. Here is his description of how the office of Justicia arose:
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...
from 1390 until 1423. He was a son of Domingo Ximénez Cerdán, also a Justicia, and María Sanz de Aliaga. He married María Pérez del Sou. In his capacity as Justicia he presided over the important Cortes
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of 1398 (during the succession dispute between Martin I of Sicily
Martin I of Sicily
Martin I of Sicily , called "The Younger", was King of Sicily from 1390 to 1409.Martin's father was the future King Martin I of Aragon, and his grandparents were King Peter IV of Aragon and Eleanor of Sicily. In 1389/1390/February, 1392 he married Maria of Sicily, born in 1362/1363...
and Matthew of Foix) and 1412 (in the leadup to the Compromise of Caspe
Compromise of Caspe
The Compromise of Caspe made in 1412 was an act and resolution of parliamentary representatives on behalf of the Kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia and the County of Barcelona, to resolve the interregnum commenced by the death of King Martin I of Aragon in 1410 without a legitimate heir, in Caspe.The...
, in which he supported Ferdinand of Antequera). When he was eighty years old, at the request of Martín Díez de Aux, Juan wrote a Carta or Letra intimada ("intimate letter") detailing the history of the office of the Justiciazgo. It was later published in the final edition of the Fueros y observancias de Aragón (1624) and was an important source for the legend of the Laws of Sobrarbe. Here is his description of how the office of Justicia arose:
Certain peoples conquered from the Moors a certain part of the kingdom in the mountains of Sobrarbe, and since these were communities with neither governor nor alderman, and given that there were many disputes and debates among them, it was determined that, to avoid such problems and so that they might live in peace, they should elect a king to reign over them ... but that there should be a Judge between them and the king, who would hold the title of Justicia of Aragon. It is held by some that the Justicia was elected before the king, and that the king was elected under such conditions. Since then there has always been a Justicia of Aragon in the kingdom, cognisant of all procedures regarding the king, as much in petitioning as in defence.
Sources
- Ximénez Cerdán, Juan (2000) at the Gran Enciclopedia Aragonesa
- Juan Jiménez Cerdán (2004) at Biografías y vidas