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Welcome This web – site explains the history of an anonymous Catalan family that holds a peculiar surname: OROBITG. Being specially interested in a legend transmitted through generations according to which this surname was brought to Catalonia by a Russian soldier, we started investigating so as to confirm if it was true or not. Below you will find the results of a research carried out since 1977. The information sources used are the following: National Historical Archive of Madrid (ANHM - sources of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Poblet, Catalonia), University of Barcelona (‘Fogatges’ – ancient census), local archives (sources of ancient public notaries), ancient original documents kept by our family (wills, marriage contracts, …) and bibliography. We invite you to travel back to the XIII century, thus discovering how our ancestors lived. Though historical books do not relay on their daily fights, we should thank our existence to their day-to-day ‘small’ achievements. The outcome of the legend and the origin of the OROBITG surname will provide us with the opportunity to revive a common unknown past for most of you. READY, STEADY, GO! THE OROBITG FROM CATALONIA • Research from XIII to XV centuries ............................................................................................... 2 • Research XVI and XVII centuries .................................................................................................. 4 • Research from XVIII to XXI centuries ........................................................................................... 6 - Cervera ............................................................................................................................. 7 - Granyenella ..................................................................................................................... 10 THE OROBITG FROM AMERICA ........................................................................................... 13 ORIGIN OF THE SURNAME • Different ways of writing Orobitg ................................................................................................. 14 • Hypothesis related to the origin of the surname........................................................................... 17 - Balkan origin .................................................................................................................. 18 - Russian origin ................................................................................................................ 19 - Catalan origin ............................................................................................................... 22 WHERE DO THEY LIVE • Nowadays..................................................................................................................................... 23 • From XIII to XIX centuries .......................................................................................................... 25 DO YOU WISH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US? • Who we are ................................................................................................................................. 27 • Future projects ............................................................................................................................ 28 • Do you wish to collaborate? ....................................................................................................... 29 INTERESTING LINKS ............................................................................................................. 30 INDEX 1 / 32 Research (XIII to XV centuries) The Orobitg Data related to this period as it has been gathered until today is not abundant. However, the contents are quite significant. XIII century: We have found out a document certifying that in 1249 Mr Arnaldi Orvig from Cervera (a village located in Catalonia’s province of Lleida, 100 km far from Barcelona) was the owner of a tract of land. In those remote years this fact meant certain financing capacity. XIV century: A hundred years later, in Cervera lived three families, whose surname was Orobitg. Moreover, we have found out at the end of this century the first two Orobitg families living in Granyenella (a small village 5 km far from Cervera). In fact, the descendants of both families have been Knight. Miniature of the living in Granyenella until late XX century. ‘Customs and Privileges of Barcelona’ (XIV century) XV century: Existing documents indicate the presence of the Orobitg families in Cervera as well as the above mentioned both families from Granyenella. Furthermore, a document dated in 1497 indicates the existence of an Orobitg for the first time in Gramuntell (15 km far from Cervera). Medieval Kingdom of Catalonia - Arago In order to understand the origins of the Orobitg family from Cervera, we have to get back to the Middle Ages, particularly in 1249 in Cervera, where Mr Arnaldi Orvig (the first documented Orobitg until today) lived. The village of Cervera was set up in early 1000 by rebuilding a former fortification, which had been probably Muslim. Following the escape of the Muslims from Cervera (and the western part of Catalonia) in 1100, those people willing to find places to settle together with fruitful land were attracted by the possibility to establish themselves and their families on those lands, now far from the Muslim threatens. In return, they lived under the protection of the castles. Controlling tower in Escaló (Pallars Sobirà – Pyrenees, north - western side of Vassalage Catalonia) The newcomers in Cervera were allowed to be direct owners of land, thus not being linked to any kind of vassalage relationship, whereas in nearby villages such as Granyenella and Verdú their inhabitants were subject to a feudal system directly linked to the Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Poblet. The feudal regimes were quite strict in the Kingdom of Catalonia - Arago until 1486, when as a result of numerous fights lead by farmers the feudal servitude system was finally abolished. Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Poblet (Tarragona, Catalonia) 2 / 32 OROBITG FROM CATALONIA / RESEARCH XIII TO XV CENTURIES Religion At that time existed multiple religious orders that were considerably influential at all levels, from subjects to the king itself. Moreover, in some cases, such as the ‘templers’, priests were victims of other religious orders’ anxieties to get further power. Different religions coexisted at the same time, particularly Christians, Jewish and former Muslims. The latters were working – hard humble people that usually lived submitted to feudal conditions. As per the Jewish, they lived in community so that they maintained their traditions together with a high cultural level and important financing capacities. Moreover, the Jewish were so influent that they counted on the protection of the king. However, continuous droughts, plagues and diseases resulted in the despair of the population that blamed the Jewish for such sufferings. As a result, assaults to the Jewish community were often made, whereas at the same time they received a discriminative treatment. In the end, the Catholic Kings signed in 1492 a decree according to which the Jewish were to be expelled out of the country. Years later, in 1609, the former Muslims were obliged Droughts, plagues and diseases to follow the same fate. The Catalan expansion The Kingdom of Catalonia – Arago (‘Corona Catalano – Aragonesa’) expanded all over the Mediterranean between the XIII and XV centuries. Trade relationships and Christian process in Middle Eastern and North African countries were the key elements to promote such growth, which guaranteed the Catalan presence in Sicily, Naples, Greece, the coast of the former Yugoslavia, Turkey, Albania, Palestine, north of Egypt, north of Africa, Cyprus, ... Catalan boat The Catalan institutions In the XII century, the village of Cervera was granted by the king the privilege of having a local government. In contrast, in other villages a ‘veguer’ (local representative of a count) was in charge of carrying out the main public responsibilities, such as tax collection, territorial defence, implementation of laws and regulations related to public organisation. When it was necessary to take decisions, the King gathered all the counts. In a meeting the King celebrated in Cervera in 1359, it was formally set up the Generalitat (Government of Catalonia). Later on (late XV century), having been the Kingdoms of Catalonia – Arago and Castilla unified, it was necessary to get the approval by the Generalitat of any initiative from Castilla (Madrid) to implement it. Poster of an exhibition related to the creation in 1359 of the Government of Catalonia OROBITG FROM CATALONIA / RESEARCH XIII TO XV CENTURIES 3 / 32 Research (XVI and XVII centuries) The Orobitg During those centuries there is evidence of the existence of the before mentioned both families in Granyenella as well as in Verdú (20 km par from Cervera) and in Gramuntell. However, until now we have not been able to find documents certifying the existence of Orobitg families in Cervera in this period. During those centuries, the Orobitg descendants lived on agriculture, as had done their ancestors. They had lands of their own property. Moreover, in the case of families in Granyenella and Verdú, they were to pay taxes to the Monastery of Poblet in return for cultivating those tracts of land. The new world The fact of discovering America in 1492 supported the Kingdom of Castilla in becoming an important empire during that period. However,