The book of the feuds of Cerdany ( lat. Liber feudorum Ceritaniae ) is the book [1] (in fact, the register) of the registration of feuds (possessions) within the counties of Cerdany , Roussillon and Conflan, and the vassals' feudal obligations to the graph. The book consists of 272 letters on 379 sheets with 32 colorful illustrations on a gold background. It is preserved in the royal archives of Aragon, the royal office, entry number 4. The registry was probably originally copied from the Liber feudorum maior (LFM) part, which was published several decades earlier. The book contains all the documents relating to the counties of Cerdany and Roussillon, found in the LFM, arranged in exactly the same order, as well as six more letters. Most of the certificates in this registry cover the years 1172-1176.
The Book of Theods Cerdany | |
---|---|
Liber feudorum ceritaniae | |
Genre | registry |
Author | |
Original language | Latin |
Date of writing | between 1200 and 1209 years |
The text of the Book of Theods Cerdany was probably written between 1200 and 1209 years, although McCrank Lawrence suggests that the book was created later, around 1237-1241 [2] . In 1209, Pedro II of Aragon , who owned the counties of Cerdany and Roussillon, bestowed them on his uncle Sancho, who lost these territories in 1185 by order of his brother King Alfonso II . The earliest certificate of the registry dates from the reign of Lothar I.
The book is probably the first and only completed part of a larger project, the regional libri feudorum (the book of feuds), created to supplement the LFM, which in turn also remained unfinished [2] .
Content
Illustrations
The 32 miniatures in the book, with the exception of one on the first sheet, belong to the brush of one artist. Each section contains one illustration. They are consistent in size, with a maximum height of 11.5 cm and a maximum width of 9.5 cm. All of them have one plot: the image of the graph either enclosing the hands of his vassals into his own, or talking to them from his throne. The backdrop is always large arches and columns. These miniatures have never served as the object of serious artistic research [3] .
The first illustration, created by another artist. She portrays Isarne and Dalmau, the signors of Castelfolit de la Roca , who pay tribute to Wifred II, Count Serdani. The drawing has a higher caliber than other miniatures, and was written in the Byzantine style, which became dominant in Catalonia around 1200 [4] . Presumably the artist who painted this illustration also decorated the altars in Sant Sadurni de Rothger and Avia . He also illustrated the manuscript of Aurelius Augustine De civitate Dei [5] . It is made more artistic than Liber feudorum Ceritaniae, but the Byzantine influence is still acutely felt.
The second artist, the author of the remaining 31 miniatures, was probably born in Catalan, who also decorated the altars. In his works, the influence of contemporary enamel art is manifested, especially of the South French school, concentrated in Limoges , which was particularly active in the late 12th and early 13th centuries [6] . Twelve thumbnails are not finished and it is determined that the color and golden background were added over the previous drawing. Although these miniatures are not artistically remarkable, they are a valuable document depicting the main Catalan people of that era:
- Figure 6V. portrays the negotiations between Count William I, Count Serdany and Folk, Bishop of Urgel, regarding Cardon’s castle, which was owned by Folk [7]
- In illustration 9V. depicts Saint Ermengol , Bishop of Urzhel, swearing allegiance to Wifred the Second [8]
- Illustration 71 depicts the betrothal of Gosfred III of Roussillon and Ermengarde, daughter of Viscount Bernard Aton IV and his wife Cecilia [9] . Such images were rare in medieval manuscripts.
- Figure 73 depicts Alfonso I Warmaster , King of Aragon, receiving a tribute from Girard the First , Count Roussillon.
Notes
- ↑ Also called Liber feudorum Ceritaniae et Rosilionis (“The Book of the Feods of Cerdany and Roussillon”) or Liber feudorum Confluentis et Ceritaniae (“The Book of the Feods of Conflan and Serdani”). County Conflan has bordered Serdan since 892, when it was conquered by Wifred the Hairy. Roussillon was presented to Sancho in 1209, when Cerdany was also given to him.
- ↑ 1 2 Lawrence J. McCrank (1993), “A Medieval 'Information Age': Documentation and Archives in the Crown of Aragon” , American Archivist 56 : 2.
- Í María Eugenia Ibarburu Asurmendi (1999), De capitibus litterarum et alis figuris: Recull d'estudis miniatura medieval (Barcelona: Edicions Universitat Barcelona, ISBN 84-475-2243-1 ), 358.
- ↑ Ibarburu Asurmendi, 359.
- ↑ MS. 20 of the Archivo Capitular de Tortosa .
- ↑ Ibarburu Asurmendi, 360.
- ↑ Image of miniature , image of page. (inaccessible link)
- ↑ Image.
- ↑ Image of Bernard and Cecilia giving Ermengarda her dowry .
Sources
- Riquer i Morera, Martí de . 1964. Història de la Literatura Catalana , vol. 1. Barcelona: Edicions Ariel.
Links
- Liber Feudorum Ceritaniae. Enciclopèdia Catalana .
- Access to the digitized version here