Cardiff University School of History and Archaeology HS1805 The Military Orders, 1100-1320 Translated by Helen Nicholson This edition 2008-2009

Document 4: Spain: the Reconquest

(A) Charters of the kings of Aragon.

1. Alfonso I, king of Aragon, founds the order of Monréal del Campo (1126-30). Summary: He has thought it suitable and pleasing to the Lord in every way that he should organize and set up the Knighthood of Christ of Jerusalem. Through this order, with the king as its commander, the Saracens on this side of the sea may all be defeated and overcome and the way cleared to cross to Jerusalem, with Christ leading the way. Also, a city will be built between Darocha and , in the uncultivated trackless uninhabitable land, which will be called Montreal, in which the Knighthood of God will have their headquarters. Coming and going from there, they will find all they need and a secure resting place. Alfonso lists the lands which he is giving his new order. The clergy who witness the charter all become brothers of the new order and will share in the brothers’ reward in Heaven. They promise to celebrate mass once a year for all the deceased ‘confrères’ [associates] and all the order’s benefactors.

Source: Cartulaire général de l'ordre du Temple, ed. the marquis d'Albon (Paris, 1913), no. 6.

2. Ramón-Berenguer IV, count of and ‘dominator’ of the , reaches an agreement with the order of the Temple. 27 Nov. 1143. I, Ramón-Berenguer IV, and ‘dominator’ of the kingdom of Aragon, moved by the virtue of the Holy Spirit in the power of the heavenly knighthood to defend the western Church in Spain, in order to crush and defeat and expel the Moorish race and exalt the faith and religion of holy Christianity, following the example of the Knighthood of the Temple of in Jerusalem which defends the eastern Church, have decided to set up a Knighthood which will follow the rule and establishments of blessed obedience of the same Knighthood [of the Temple] in subjection and obedience to it. I have desired this with the greatest desire and an honest will for a long time and sent letters and messengers diligently inviting the venerable Robert of great excellence, the master of the Knighthood of Jerusalem, and the convent of the rest of the brothers to do this. By God's grace the aforesaid Robert, the master, and the convent of all the brothers in the chapter of the brothers of the Knighthood in Jerusalem acquiesed and unanimously consented to this desire and petition of mine, and by their letters and brothers of the same Temple they mercifully reported their decree and approval for setting up the Knighthood of Christ in Spain against the . Therefore, to exalt Christ’s Church, to exercise the office of knighthood in the Spanish region against the Saracens, in remission of my sins, to the honour of God who honours those who honour Him, for the salvation of the soul of my father who was a knight and brother of the said holy Knighthood and ended his life subject to its rule and wearing its glorious habit, I give and conceed to you, Robert... [there follows a list of the donations: The castle of Monzon; the castle of Mountjoy; all the lands and everything which belongs to

1 these castles, as can be most useful to the Knighthood and God's honour; the castles of Xalamera and Barberanum, with their lands etc.; the honour of Lup Sancius of Belchite; all the castle called Remulin, when Ramón-Berenguer captures it; all Ramón-Berenguer ought to have in the castle of Curlin, when God deigns to return it to him; a tenth of all his rents and taxes, etc.; a 100 shillings in Saragossa each year; a fifth of the booty in every expedition or raid the Templars carry out; if Ramón-Berenguer gives, sells or pledges any of his honour, they will retain their tenth; a tenth of everything he can justly acquire with God’s help; a fifth of the land recaptured from the Saracens; a tenth of everything which pertains to the Ramón- Berenguer; if they wish to build a castle or fortress against the Moors, Ramón-Berenguer will help and advise them; he will only make a truce with the Moors after consulting them. He concludes by confirming this ‘giving thanks to God, who has chosen you to defend the Church, and made you approve our requests.’ They will pay no ‘ledda’, custom duties or tolls. He gave this to Ebrard, master of the order in Gaul, and Peter de Roverie, master of and the parts of Spain, and brother Otto of St Omer, and Brother Hugh de Bezaniz and Brother Petre de Arzach and Brother Berenguer de Ceguinole and Brother Arnal de Forcia.]

[Source: Cartulaire général de l'ordre du Temple, no. 314]

3. Ramón-Berenguer IV, count of Barcelona and regent of Aragon, marquis of Tortosa and Lerida, gives to the Hospitallers the castle of Amposta and its territory and numerous towns, possessions and immunities in his estates. 8 Jan. 1149 at Lerida. [Extract]... for the honour of God who honours those honouring him, for the salvation of the souls of my father and mother, to exalt the Church of Christ, to propagate the faith and religion of holy Christianity, to crush and confound the Moorish people, for the redemption of my soul and the remission of my sins, I grant and approve and firmly concede...

Source: Cartulaire général de l'ordre des Hospitaliers de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem, 1100-1310, ed. J. Delaville le Roulx, 4 vols (Paris, 1894-1905), no. 181.

4. Peter [Pedro, or Pere] II of Aragon confirms the Templars’ privileges: 17 Nov. 1208 May it be known to all that we, Peter, by the grace of God King of Aragon and count of Barcelona, noticing how faithfully, with how much care and devotion the brothers of the knights of the Temple work everywhere for the propagation of the Christian faith and press on with its defence, also considering how useful, how faithful and how necessary they were to our predecessors in everything which seems to hasten the spread of Christianity and how much they have tried to help us in our necessities, we approve, concede and confirm with this present privilege of perpetual validity to the brothers present and future all the franchises, liberties and immunities and all the other things which our predecessors gave and conceded to them and their houses just as they have best held them all, had them freely and possessed them fully until now. Therefore we wish and firmly instruct and establish that neither the brothers nor their people should give or be held to give any lezda, pedage, usage, portage, or any customs due which is levied or shall be levied in any place in our land just as they have not done until now. So we instrust and enjoin on all majordomos, repositaries, merinos, justiciars, zahalmedes, bailiffs and reeves and all the others, i.e. Christians, Jews and Saracens, present and future in the whole of Aragon that they should not

2 dare to act contrary to this charter on pain of confiscation. Instead they should observe it fully and not presume to exact anything from the aforesaid brothers of the Knighthood or their people or force them to give anything from these tolls. Also we establish that no man or woman who is known to belong to the house of the Knighthood of the Temple or to be under its jurisdiction should dare to gain a liberty or franchise for any reason with a charter or in any other way, or make themselves free or exempt [from the order's jurisdiction], unless they can prove their right to this clearly through a suitable charter of liberty and with suitable witnesses. Besides, we establish that no ecclesiastic or secular person, high or low, should be able or dare to take guarantees from the aforesaid brothers of the Knighthood or their people or their property unless they first discover clearly that the brothers may not meet their obligations or sufficient witnesses show that there has been an infringement of the law. And we order and establish that no council of any city, town or castle nor any algemma [council?] of Jews or Saracens should dare to take guarantees from or excommunicate any Christians, Jews or Saracens of the house of the knighthood of the Temple on any grounds of royal or local exactions, or eject them from the neighbourhood or place them under interdict or violate their liberties in any way. What is more, we establish that the aforesaid brothers of the knighthood and their people may possess and should be able to possess everything against any person for a year and a day according to the form and custom of Saragossa and should be able to protect themselves freely. The aforesaid brothers should have the right of calonias, judging homicides and justicia [receiving other legal fines] from their own people throughout the whole of Aragon just as they are accustomed to do. If anyone of whatever rank, profession or condition presumes to go against this confirmation of privilege, concession and constitution of ours they should know that they are incurring our anger and indignation and must bear a fine of one thousand aureos [gold coins] for their contempt., and this privilege will nevertheless retain its force. Given at Barbastro, 17 November 1208, by the hand of Ferrars our notary. + Sign of Peter, by the grace of God king of Aragon and count of Barcelona. These are the witnesses of this: Count Sancho; Eximen Cornelius; Garsias Romei; Pons Hugo; A. de Alascuno; Eximen de Lusia; Assallitus de Gudal; Blasco Romei; Martinus de Caneto; G. de Alcalano; Pons de Erillo; Albarus Guterriz, majordomo; Garsias Guterriz; Didacus Ferrandi; P. Lahyn. I, Ferrars, notary of the lord king had this written at his order at the place, day and era stated.

[Source: Alan Forey, The Templars in the Corona of Aragon (London, 1973), pp. 377–8.]

5. James I [Jaime I] king of Aragon, Majorca and Valencia and count of Barcelona and Urgel, lord of , and the Hospitallers conclude an accord on the subject of the castle of Cullera and its dependancies, which James claims as part of the conquest of Valencia and the order claims in virtue of a donation in 1171 by Alphonso II. The castle is divided in half. 15 July 1240, Valencia. Summary: the king’s answer to the Hospital's claim was that his ancestors’ donations could not damage his rights, for by Spanish custom no king could give what he could not acquire or did not wish to leave to his heirs to acquire. Also, his own confirmation of the Hospital's possessions could not damage his rights because it was a general confirmation, made when he

3 was underage and in a basic form and it did not mention Cullera by name. However, after a long dispute, the following was decided: each party would have half the castle, and they made decisions on future building, revenues, homage and fealty.

[Source: Cartulaire général de l'ordre des hospitaliers, no. 2254.]

6. Alfonso III, king of Aragon, complains that the order of the Hospital has betrayed him. 22 June 1288: Barcelona. Summary: he writes to the marshal and convent of the Hospital in the reminding them that he and his predecessors esteemed the order with preferential and special devotion and familiar affection and promoted them in the kingdom of Aragon and in other kingdoms, hoping to win divine reward and the order's gratitude. However, for he knows not what reason, at the time of his father Peter III some of the order’s brothers who were of great reputation and status negotiated with the enemy against King Peter and his son Alphonso and his people, and afterwards other brothers of the order joined with his enemies in their ships, obviously aiming to disinherit him. Alfonso, however, would not turn against the order because he believed that these treacherous actions were performed against the brothers’ will and he did not believe that he would have such a bad return for so many benefits. ‘But through those things which your master now commits anew against us and our honour,’ as Alfonso has learnt from merchants and other reliable men, led on by the advice of his enemies and because the master wishes to please them and harm Alfonso, Alfonso is brought to the unpleasant conclusion that the earlier treacheries were done with the brothers’ approval, for he does not believe that a prudent master would do these things without the brothers’ advice. For two brothers of the order, i.e. Brother Boniface of Calamandracen, his very dear relation, and Brother Raymond of Ripels, his dear friend, both men of great nobility, discretion and faith - through whose laudable wisdom, action and good reputation Alphonso believes that the order has gained much - have been mistreated, not because of their guilt but to dishonour Alfonso and favour his enemies because they are known to be close to him. The master has sent the first to Armenia, where he is sure to die quickly because of the unhealthy air and the other has been sent to Alfonso on a frivolous mission. The benefits which Alfonso’s predecessors and he himself have bestowed on the order did not merit this treatment, nor did the master, when he was promoted to his present post, promise Alphonso such treatment. He ends by emphasizing his affection for the order and the fact that his anger has arisen only after much provocation; but unless he receives speedy satisfaction he will take revenge.

[Source: Cartulaire générale de l’ordre des hospitaliers, no. 4007.] (B) Extracts from the chronicles of Aragon

1. Bernat Desclot, Chronicle of the reign of King Pedro III of Aragon, AD 1276-1285 Translated by F. L. Critchlow (Princeton, 1928), paraphrased by Helen Nicholson and checked to the Catalan edition: Bernat Desclot, Crònica, ed. Miquel Coll i Alentorn (1949), PC3925.N6

[Ch. 132, p.190: After Pedro had held a parliament at Saragossa, 1285, he went to Lérida.] On his way he came to a convent of the order of the Hospital, called Sigena. And he took from it a daughter of the count of Foix named Constance, who was in secular habit and had been entrusted by him to the nuns to be cared for. The king brought her to Lérida.... then he went on to Barcelona, leaving the young lady at Lérida... [where she was kept as a hostage, to ensure her father’s loyalty to the king.]

4 [Ch. 134, p.200-1: (1285) Pedro was going to attack his brother, James, king of . After some problems he entered and took control of the city.] Then he went to the house of the Templars and found in it much treasure which his brother the king of Mallorca had left there for safe keeping. The king ordered it to be removed to the castles and the coffers in which the treasure was contained to be opened. In it he found, among other things, a charter sealed with the seals of the king of France and the , whereby the king of Mallorca had agreed to help the king of France with all his power by sea and land until the king of France conquered all the land of the king of Aragon, in return for which the king of France would give him the when he had conquered it and take it from the king of Aragon, and the pope in Rome had confirmed this donation. [At this Pedro was enraged. He then took over the castle of Perpignan, where his brother James lay ill.]

[Ch. 139, p.234 (1285)]: When Pedro saw that the French had invaded and if he did not act quickly all was lost, he sent letters to his army at Gerona and to all his vegueira and to Barcelona, , Tarragona, Tortosa, Valencia and all in general, to all his men and all the men of the Church, to the Temple and Hospital and the other knightly orders and to all the nobles of Catalonia, to come as quickly as they could with all their arms on horseback and on foot to where the king was, to defend the land against the French who were approaching and must pass through the lands which separate Catalonia and Rousillon. [They all came without protest.]

[Ch. 159, p.325: Pedro was riding towards Beralu. He had a few knights with him, ten or twelve. Many high nobles and knights were following him, but they took the wrong road, going by the mountain rather than the plain, and ran into the French knights who had been sent to find Pedro’s whereabouts. Pedro, who was behind them, was riding along at leisure] ...when a brother of the Order of Calatrava came riding up on a small horse and said, ‘Lord, ride on in great haste, for all the soldiers who went out before you are doomed to perish!’ ‘What?’ said the king, ‘what has happened?’ ‘Lord,’ said the brother, ‘a good 5,000 horsemen of the French host have made an attack on them, near to a steep place over there and not far from that hill which lies before you.’ [When the king heard this he halted so that his knights could arm, and then sent Don Pere de Montcada, lord of Aitona, on ahead with 80 knights to rescue the Aragonese.]

5

2) James I, King of Aragon: Chronicle, paraphrased and summarised from John Forster’s translation (London, 1883) and checked to the Catalan: Jaume I, Crònica o llibre dels faits, ed. Ferran Soldevila (1988), DP 129.J2. Forster's translation is now available at http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/jaume_forster.pdf. See now also the new translation: The Book of Deeds of , a translation of the Medieval Catalan Llibre des Fets, trans. Damian Smith and Helena Buffery (Aldershot, 2003), pp. 25-29; and see the index for further references to the Hospital and Temple.

James’ childhood

[James’ father, King Peter II of Aragon, has been killed in the battle of (1213) against the Albigensian crusaders. James was being brought up by Count Simon de Montfort, but following pressure from Pope Innocent III, James is returned to Aragon.]

[Ch. 10, p. 19]: I might then be six years and four months old. When they got to Catalonia, a consultation was held as to who should bring me up. All agreed that the master of the Temple should bring me up at Monzon. The name of that master was En Guillen de Montredon; he was a native of Osona [Vich, in Catalonia] and master of the Temple in Aragon and Catalonia. [Ch. 11, p.20]:..The master of the Temple then took me to Monzon, and I stayed there two and a half years uninterruptedly. All the revenues my father had in Aragon and Catalonia were pledged to the Jews and Saracens, [p.21] as also all the fiefs which at that time amounted to seven hundred ‘cavellerias’ or knights fees. My father, King Don Pedro, had given away or sold them all except one hundred and thirty of them, and when I entered Monzon I had no food for one day, the land was so wasted and mortgaged. [Ch. 13, p.22]...And when I was nine years old, they could not keep us in Monzon, neither me nor the Count of Provence my cousin (Ramon Berenguer) who was also there; as I, considering that it was necessary for the country, wished to go. It was then agreed by the master and the others that they should let me leave the place... (the count of Provence then leaves secretly with the help of the nobles of Provence)..[Ch. 14, p.23] And when the Templars saw that the Count of Provence had gone away without their knowledge, they perceived that my stay in the place was no longer good for them.... Whereupon I sent a message to Don Pedro [p.24] Fernandez, and to Don Rodrigo Liçana and their party, and to En G. de Cervera, to come to me at Monzon, as for every reason I wished to leave that town immediately. They assured me that they would help and support me with all their power.... And I left Monzon at dawn, and when I got to the bridge [over the Cinca] my company was waiting for me, and they told me that Count Don Sancho was at Selgua with all his forces, and that he would fight me. I was not more than nine years old at the time, and for the battle that was expected a knight (I do not remember his name) lent me a light coat of mail or hauberk, which I put on, and that was the beginning, the first arms that I ever took. And I went that day to Berbegal without meeting any opposition on the road; and then next day I entered ; thence I went to Zaragosa, this being the first time that I was in Aragon. The people were very glad at my coming.

The documents in the photocopy collection in the Arts and Social Studies Library include here some extracts photocopied from John Forster’s translation of James’s autobiography (London, 1883).

6