Liber feudorum Ceritaniae
Encyclopedia
The Liber feudorum Ceritaniae is, as its Latin
title indicates, a book (liber, in fact a chartulary
) registering the fiefs (feudi) within the counties of County of Cerdagne
(Ceritania), which at the time included the old counties of Roussillon
and Conflent
, and the feudal obligations of the count and his vassals. It is preserved in the Arxiu de la Corona d'Aragó (Cancelleria Reial, reg. no. 4) and consists of 272 charters in 379 folios with 32 colourful miniatures on a golden background. It was probably originally copied from a part of the Liber feudorum maior
(LFM), which is several decades older. It contains all the documents pertaining to Cerdagne and Roussillon found in the LFM and in exactly the same order, as well as six documents more. Most of the charters in it cover the years 1172–6.
The text of the Liber probably dates to between 1200 and 1209, though Lawrence McCrank has dated it later, to 1237–41. In the latter year Peter II of Aragon
, who held the counties of Cerdagne and Roussillon, bestowed them on his uncle Sancho
, who had been dispossess of them in 1185 by his brother, Peter's father, Alfonso II
, who was king during the period when most of the charters were made. The oldest charter in the collection dates from the reign of Lothair I
. It may represent the first and only completed part of a larger project of regional libri feudorum made to accompany the LFM, which itself was left uncompleted.
The first folio, by a different artist from the rest, depicts Isarn and Dalmau, lords of Castellfollit
, rendering homage to Wifred II of Cerdagne. It is of a higher calibre than the other miniatures and is painted in the Byzantinist
style that was becoming dominant in Catalonia around 1200. This artist has been identified with the painter of the altar fronts at Sant Sadurní de Rotgers and Aviá
. He also illustrated a manuscript of Augustine of Hippo's
De civitate Dei. It is more artistic than the Liber, but the Byzantine influence is still acutely felt.
The lesser artist of the remaining 31 miniatures was probably a native Catalan accustomed to painting altars. He appears influenced by contemporary enamel production
, especially of the south French school centred on Limoges
and active in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Twelve of the miniatures are unfinished and reveal that the colour and the golden background was added on top of a prior drawing. Though his miniatures are not artistically noteworthy, they are a rich documentary record of the major Catalan figures of the era:
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
title indicates, a book (liber, in fact a chartulary
Chartulary
A cartulary or chartulary , also called Pancarta and Codex Diplomaticus, is a medieval manuscript volume or roll containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the foundation, privileges, and legal rights of ecclesiastical establishments, municipal corporations, industrial...
) registering the fiefs (feudi) within the counties of County of Cerdagne
County of Cerdagne
The County of Cerdanya was one of the Catalan counties formed in the last decades of the 8th century by the Franks in the Marca Hispanica. The original Cerdanya consisted of the valley of the upper Segre. Today Cerdanya is a Catalan comarca.-Origins:...
(Ceritania), which at the time included the old counties of Roussillon
County of Roussillon
The County of Roussillon was one of the Catalan counties in the Marca Hispanica during the Middle Ages. The rulers of the county were the Counts of Roussillon, whose interests lay both north and south of the Pyrenees.-Visigothic county:...
and Conflent
County of Conflent
The County of Conflent or Confluent was one of the Catalan counties of the Marca Hispanica in the ninth century. Usually associated with the County of Cerdanya and the county of Razès, and was located to the west of Roussillon...
, and the feudal obligations of the count and his vassals. It is preserved in the Arxiu de la Corona d'Aragó (Cancelleria Reial, reg. no. 4) and consists of 272 charters in 379 folios with 32 colourful miniatures on a golden background. It was probably originally copied from a part of the Liber feudorum maior
Liber feudorum maior
The Liber feudorum maior , originally called the Liber domini regis , is a late twelfth-century illuminated cartulary of the Crown of Aragon. It was compiled by the royal archivist Ramon de Caldes with the help of Guillem de Bassa for Alfonso II, beginning in 1192...
(LFM), which is several decades older. It contains all the documents pertaining to Cerdagne and Roussillon found in the LFM and in exactly the same order, as well as six documents more. Most of the charters in it cover the years 1172–6.
The text of the Liber probably dates to between 1200 and 1209, though Lawrence McCrank has dated it later, to 1237–41. In the latter year Peter II of Aragon
Peter II of Aragon
Peter II the Catholic was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1196 to 1213.He was the son of Alfonso II of Aragon and Sancha of Castile...
, who held the counties of Cerdagne and Roussillon, bestowed them on his uncle Sancho
Sancho, Count of Provence
Sancho was the count of Cerdanya from 1168, Provence from 1181 to 1185, and Roussillon from 1185. He was the youngest son of Count Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona and Queen regnant Petronilla of Aragón....
, who had been dispossess of them in 1185 by his brother, Peter's father, Alfonso II
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 was king during the period when most of the charters were made. The oldest charter in the collection dates from the reign of Lothair I
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
. It may represent the first and only completed part of a larger project of regional libri feudorum made to accompany the LFM, which itself was left uncompleted.
Illustrations
The 32 miniatures are, with the exception of the one on the first folio, from the hand of a single artist. There is one for each document in the chartulary and they are consistent in size, with a maximum height of 11.5 cm and maximum width of 9.5 cm. They are all alike in content, depicting the count either receiving his vassals' hands in his own or negotiating with them from his throne. The scene is always set in an interior marked by large arches and columns. Despite this, the miniatures have not been the object of any serious artistic or iconographic study.The first folio, by a different artist from the rest, depicts Isarn and Dalmau, lords of Castellfollit
Castellfollit de la Roca
Castellfollit de la Roca is a municipality in the comarca of Garrotxa, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The urban area is bordered by the confluence of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers, between which the town's basalt cliff rises...
, rendering homage to Wifred II of Cerdagne. It is of a higher calibre than the other miniatures and is painted in the Byzantinist
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
style that was becoming dominant in Catalonia around 1200. This artist has been identified with the painter of the altar fronts at Sant Sadurní de Rotgers and Aviá
Avia
Avia is a Czech aircraft and automotive company notable for producing biplane fighter aircraft, especially the B-534, and trucks.- History :...
. He also illustrated a manuscript of Augustine of Hippo's
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
De civitate Dei. It is more artistic than the Liber, but the Byzantine influence is still acutely felt.
The lesser artist of the remaining 31 miniatures was probably a native Catalan accustomed to painting altars. He appears influenced by contemporary enamel production
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
, especially of the south French school centred on Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
and active in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Twelve of the miniatures are unfinished and reveal that the colour and the golden background was added on top of a prior drawing. Though his miniatures are not artistically noteworthy, they are a rich documentary record of the major Catalan figures of the era:
- Folio 6v. depicts a convention between Folch, Bishop of Urgell, and count William I of Cerdagne concerning the castle of CardonaCardonaCardona is a town ìn Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona; about 90 km northwest of the city of Barcelona, on a hill almost surrounded by the river Cardoner, a branch of the Llobregat.Near the town is an extensive deposit of rock salt...
, of which Folch was lord. - Folio 9v. depicts Saint ErmengolSaint ErmengolSaint Ermengol or Hermengaudius was the bishop of Urgell from 1010.He was the nephew and successor of the Bishop Sal·la and a member of the family of the counts of Conflent...
, Bishop of Urgell, swearing an oath of fealty to Wifred II. - Folio 71 depicts the betrothal of the Gausfred III of RoussillonGausfred III of RoussillonGausfred III was the count of Roussillon from 1113 until his death. He was the son and successor of Girard I, who was assassinated prematurely, leaving Gausfred a child. Arnold Gausfred, the young count's uncle, acted as regent until 1121....
to the Ermengarda, daughter of the TrencavelTrencavelThe Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc during the 10th through 13th centuries. The name "Trencavel," originally a nickname and later a family name, may derive from the Occitan words for "nutcracker"...
viscount Bernard Ato IVBernard Ato IVBernard Ato IV was the Viscount of Nîmes of the Trencavel family from 1074 to his death.Bernard Ato was the son of Raymond Bernard of Nîmes and Ermengarde of Carcassonne.In 1125, Bernard Ato retook Carcassonne....
and his wife Cecilia. Such depictions were rare in medieval manuscripts. - Folio 73 depicts Alfonso the BattlerAlfonso the BattlerAlfonso 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...
, King of Aragon, receiving the homage of the men of the deceased count of Roussillon, Guinard.
External links
- "Liber Feudorum Ceritaniae". Enciclopèdia Catalana.
- Image of knights rendering homage to Giselbert II of RoussillonGiselbert II of RoussillonGiselbert II was the count of Roussillon from the death of his father, Gausfred II, in 1074 until his own death. His mother was Adelaide.In 1040, he participated in his father's sack of Ampurias...
. - Image of a king receiving oaths of fealty.
- Access to a digitised version is available at PARES: Portal de Archivos Españoles
