Salomon (Count of Urgell)

Nothing is known about the origin of Count Salomon, although some historians believe that he had family ties with the Barcelona dynasty and the Bellonides . It is assumed that in 848, after the sudden death of Count of Barcelona Sunifred I , Salomon received from the king of the West Frankish state Charles II the Bald part of the possessions of the deceased - the counties of Urgell and Serdan. However, for the first time in the documents that have survived to this day, Salomon is mentioned with these titles in the royal charter, issued in October 849 in Narbonne .

From the charter given by Charles II Lysy in 860 to Bishop Urgel Gisad I , it is known that at that time the power of the ruler Urgel and Serdani also extended to Conflan, but the date of receipt of this county by Salomon is not known.

In 863, Salomon traveled to Cordoba to the court of Emir Muhammad I. Medieval historical chronicles call the purpose of the trip the return to Christians of the relics of St. Vincent of Zaragoza , who were subject to the emir of Zaragoza . However, modern historians suggest that the real purpose of the visit was to reach an agreement on peace on the southern border of the West Frankish state, where at that time there was a suppression of the great rebellion raised by Margrave Gothia Gumfried . Also preserved are several charters issued by Salomon to various monasteries, and evidence of the exercise of judicial powers in their possessions.

The last time Salomon was mentioned as Count of Urgel and Serdani in August 868, and already in June 870, King Charles II appointed Bethred I the Hairy as the new Earl of these possessions at the Assembly in Attigny . In the same year, the documents mention the new Count of Conflan Miro I Old . A charter has survived to the present day in favor of the monastery of Kaunes, dated April 23, 873, which was also signed by the “ misso ” (royal envoy) Salomon, which some historians identify with the Earl of Salomon. However, most historians believe that this charter is not related to Count Urgell and Serdani. They call the date of his death the period from 868 to 870.

The “ Acts of the Counts of Barcelona ” and the Chronicle of San Juan de la Peña , created in the 12th century , contain a number of additional information about Count Salomon, which are legendary and possibly of little credibility. According to these sources, Salomon personally killed Count Sunifred I of Barcelona in the church of Santa Maria in Narbonne and seized his possessions. Sunifred’s son, young Vifred Volosaty, found a shelter with his mother in Flanders , and after growing up in 870 he came to Barcelona and killed Salomon in a duel, thus avenging him for the death of his father.

• Ramon de Abadal. Els primers comes catalans. - Vicens-Vives, 1958. - P. 32-34.
• Próspero de Bofarull y Mascaró. Los condes Barcelona vindicados . - 1836 .. - T. I. - P. 10-11. - 582 p.

• Catalonia Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Date of treatment July 3, 2009. Archived March 21, 2012.