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Late Medieval Castilian Historiography and Memory

Carmen Benítez Guerrero, Universität Sevilla

Abstract: In this post ´Carmen Benítez Guerrero explores how historical events in late medieval Castile were recorded and remembered, focusing on short historiographical texts, especially annals. She emphasizes the evolution of medieval historiography in the Iberian Peninsula, shifting from viewing texts as mere factual repositories to understanding them as cultural objects with specific functions, for example the shaping of memory be different political actors.

In 1319, the princes Don Juan and Don Pedro of Castile, then regents of King Alfonso XI, died in the meadows of Granada. This event profoundly impacted their contemporaries’ memory and was recorded in various places for posterity. Not only in the chronicles of the reign and other brief historical accounts, but also in epigraphy, notably on the outer wall of San Andrés de Arroyo church in the province of Palencia. It even became a significant marker to close a historical work composed during the youth of Alfonso XI, the so-called Anales del infante.

This introduction, based on the memory of a specific political event and its written reflection, serves to draw attention to an ongoing line of research, which in turn connects to a broader study. The line of research focuses on the tracing, editing, and analysis of late medieval short historiography. The broader study examines the ways in which the past was recorded and utilized by various members of Castilian society during the late thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with particular attention to their relationship with power, and also observing their subsequent history trajectory. This later history often provides access to texts known only through their transmission over time, via new copies and communication contexts.

In recent decades, the approach to medieval historiography in the Iberian Peninsula has changed considerably. Influenced by various analytical approaches, there has been an increasing preference for viewing texts not as mere repositories of factual information, but as cultural objects with specific functionalities and, more recently, as communicative messages. Texts produced within the direct sphere of royal power were among the first to spark this shift in perspective, but over time, the scope of historiographical forms deemed worthy of scholarly attention has expanded. Furthermore, the range of historiographical genres considered relevant has also broadened, as increased focus on non-formal and non-factual aspects has brought previously overlooked formats into the spotlight.

Short historiography, defined as historiographical forms characterised by their synthetic nature, including annals are as a prime example, is one of those areas that has gained interest in the framework I have been talking about. Thus, there has been a shift from considering these texts as archaic forms of little interest to treating them as works with meaning within their specific context, such as justifying dynastic choices or territorial configurations. This interest has led researchers to trace these short forms across the Iberian Peninsula, rediscovering unpublished texts that expand a panorama that was practically deserted beyond the 13th century, with some exceptions. I will highlight only a set of texts from the first half of the 14th century, which indicate a north-south shift of annalist historiography as the Christian-Muslim political frontier advanced. These works are located on the Andalusian border, spanning the kingdoms of Cordoba and Seville and their areas of influence, and include the Anales cordubenses, the aforementioned Anales del infante, or the Libro de las eras. These texts are also important as a link to understand the evolution between the 13th century annals and those already known from the first half of the 15th century, with which they appear genetically related.

Together with other examples known for the Castilian area, or also the Anales de Pedro Ruiz, which were published in 2022, this set of texts demonstrates the enduring relevance of annals throughout the 14th century and their use by different authorities to establish a certain memory of the past. Beyond this interest in anchoring the past, there are other less well-known historiographical examples typically associated with local settings an urban elites. One of the current lines of research in this area is the study of historical accounts linked to the list of judges appended to the Fuero de Baeza, which highlights the close relationship between numerous historiographical works (and their material forms) and the legal sphere. Another line of research involves a collection of anecdotal information related to the Jerez elites, which left traces in various later compositions. These include an universal chronicle written in the Galician diocese of Mondoñedo in the early 15th century, the Crónica de 1404, also several histories of Jerez written in the modern era, as well as an historical memorial included in the minutes of the Jerez town council from the late 15th century.

What is interesting is not only the individual study of each of these historical manifestations, but their global analysis, both for the frequent interrelations that are inferred between every text, and to deepen our understanding of the relationship that medieval society had with the use of the past and its written record. These lines of research, which, as I mentioned, converge on the interest in the uses and writing about the past by different sociopolitical groups, from the monarchy to other minor elites, in late medieval Castile, are being developed in collaboration with other colleagues through different ongoing research projects, namely “Minores. Construir la memoria de las élites periféricas en la Corona de Castilla y el Reino de Navarra” (10th-16th centuries), directed by researchers Eloísa Ramírez (UPNA) and María Teresa López de Guereño (UAM) and “Enfrentarse al rey: rebeliones, estado y cultura de la política en Castilla desde una perspectiva comparada” (13th-15th centuries), directed by Fernando Arias (UVa). Some of these lines of research build upon previous projects, such as “Aranhis. Archivum Annalisticum Hispanum“, directed by Covadonga Valdaliso (Universidade de Lisboa). It is also worth mentioning the emerging group “e-Storias. Laboratorio de Historiografía Medieval y Humanidades Digitales”, coordinated from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia by my colleague Ricardo Pichel and myself from the University of Seville, now an integral part of the recently approved Network of Excellence CHARTA 4.0.


Photo: Page of one of the manuscripts mentioned above, in: Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional de España, MSS11011, f. 148r.

Uncovering the Legal Consciousness of Medieval Catalan Scholars through the ‘Usatges of Barcelona’

Anna Korneeva, independent scholar (Moscow)

Abstract: This study analyzes the ‘Usatges of Barcelona’, focusing on the translation techniques and linguistic adaptations in its Latin and Old Catalan versions. It reveals how medieval translators navigated multilingualism to enhance accessibility, emphasizing local customs while adapting legal frameworks to meet Catalan medieval societal needs.

The collection of customary laws named the ‘Usatges of Barcelona’, first compiled in the 12th century, exists in both Latin and Old Catalan versions, offering scholars an opportunity to explore the nuances of legal translation and the evolving legal consciousness of medieval Catalan intellectuals and jurists.

The research is based on a comparative analysis of the Latin and Old Catalan versions of the ‘Usatges’, focusing on the terminology, linguistic tools, and translation techniques employed by the medieval Catalan translators. By examining the foreign language elements, grammatical structures, and instances of inaccurate or intentional translation, researchers could gain valuable insights into the legal mindset of the period.

The essential aspect of this study is the analysis of multilingualism within the ‘Usatges’. The Latin version, likely the original, features a diverse array of terms, some with foreign etymologies, transcriptions, and grammatical adaptations. The Catalan translation often simplifies these linguistic complexities, favouring more familiar legal terminology and local customary references. The Catalan translators employed various techniques in rendering the ‘Usatges’ into the vernacular. These include generalization, particularization, and modulation of meaning.

The translators’ techniques also reveal several thoughts. While they generally respected the authority of the original Latin text, the Catalan translators employed various strategies, such as generalization, particularization, and modulation, to adapt the legal norms to the local context. This process of translation not only reflects the multilingual environment but also sheds light on the Pyrenean traditions of legal scholarship in the 13th century.

Additionally, the Catalan translators tended to actualize the legal norms, reducing descriptions and replacing Latinisms with local terms. For example, UB 64 (67) simplifies the verbal form from Latin “iurauerit” to Catalan “jurarà”, and UB 92(115) replaces the Latin “pupilli” with the more familiar Catalan “pobils”. The translation also exhibits grammatical and syntactical simplification. UB 10 (12) in Latin uses a more complex sentence structure, which is rendered in Catalan as the more concise. Similarly, UB 5 (6) in Latin has a longer sentence structure that is simplified in the Catalan version.

Perhaps most intriguing are the instances where the Catalan translation deviates from the Latin original, either through grammatical simplification, explanatory additions, or the replacement of Latinisms with more economically or customarily relevant terms. These “inaccuracies” can be seen as indicators of the translators’ legal consciousness, as they sought to make the text more accessible and relevant to the Catalan audience.

By delving into the linguistic and textual nuances of the ‘Usatges of Barcelona’, scholars can uncover the evolving legal mindset of medieval Catalan intellectuals. This comparative study not only sheds light on the complexities of legal translation but also provides a fascinating glimpse into the legal culture and traditions that shaped the legal landscape of medieval Catalonia.

Multilingualism is evident in the Latin version of the ‘Usatges’, where we see the different etymological origins of the terms used, transcription of words, and grammatical adaptation. The Latin version of UB 69 (74) uses the Catalan economic term with the Arabic origins “CECHIAM” which is Latinized and grammatically adapted, while the Catalan version simply says “La ciquia de l’ayga”.

These linguistic and translation features suggest that the Catalan translators were focused on making the legal text more accessible and understandable to the local audience, rather than strictly adhering to the original Latin forms. This reflects a particular legal consciousness that prioritized practical application and customary legal traditions over the authority of the original Latin text.

Selected Bibliography

Bastardas i Parera, Joan. Usatges De Barcelona. 1984. Internet Archive, http://archive.org/details/usatges-de-barcelona.

Martí i Castell, Joan. Estudi lingüístic dels „Usatges de Barcelona“: el codi a mitjan segle XII. Abadia de Montserrat, 2002. dialnet.unirioja.es, https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=183571.

Martínez Gázquez, José. „El latín en los Usatges de Barcelona“. Glossae: European Journal of Legal History, Nr. 7, 1995, S. 101–12.

Meyer-Hermann, Reinhard. „Auxiliar-Konstruktionen im llatí medieval katalanischer Urkunden (10.–13. Jh.) und in den Usatici Barchinonae / Usatges de Barcelona (12.–15. Jh.)“. Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie (ZrP), Bd. 135, Nr. 2, Juni 2019, ss. 507–34, https://doi.org/10.1515/zrp-2019-0028.

Meyer-Hermann, Reinhard. „Zur Emergenz katalanischer Syntax in den Usatici Barchinonae: Usatges de Barcelona (12.–15. Jhdt.)“. Zeitschrift für Katalanistik: Revista d’Estudis Catalans, Nr. 33, 2020, S. 155–99, https://doi.org/10.46586/ZfK.2020.155-199.

“Usatici Barchinone. Constituciones pacium et treugarum. Constituciones Cathalonie inter dominos et vassallos tenentes pro dominis castra” [= Tractatus de consuetudinibus Cathalonie inter dominos et vasallos]. [Et alias constitutiones regum Aragonum] // Archivo de la Corona de Aragón, ACA,COLECCIONES,Manuscritos,Ripoll,38. Fol. 1r. http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/show/2345593.

Muslims and Lords in Medieval Iberia

Clara Almagro Vidal, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)

Abstract: The research project “Muslims in Signorial lands: an Integrative Perspective in Medieval Iberia” (for further information visit: https://www.socriem.es/mutis/) not only aims to detect the administrative and territorial framing of Muslim communities in Christian Iberia, but also seeks to analyse the relations between Muslims and their lords in both a legal and organisational framework. With this contribution project member Clara Almagro Vidal offers a close-up look of the project and shares some preliminary results.

Although they were theoretically part of the treasure of the Christian kings in medieval Iberia, Muslims often lived in lands that were not under Royal jurisdiction throughout the Middle Ages. The presence of Muslim communities in signorial lands within the Christian kingdoms of medieval Iberia is of great interest for the study of this religious minority because it reflects an overlapping of jurisdictional spheres of a different nature depending on the type of lordship and the conditions under which the lands were given the lords. These lordships, whether nobiliary, ecclesiastical, municipal or of any other type, formed an element of distortion for the exercise of royal authority, fragmenting its capacity to act and generating, through the exercise of its unequal prerogatives, a wide range of circumstances that determined the life of Muslims in these areas.

Moreover, although not exclusively, Muslims were often settled in rural communities or located in small population centres that did not become fully urban. Areas with these characteristics have traditionally received less interest in historiography.

The research project Muslims in Signorial lands: an Integrative Perspective in Medieval Iberia, funded by the Regional Government of Madrid through its programme for talent attraction (2020-T1/HUM-20291), was born from the awareness of the relevance of this phenomenon and the gap in existing scholarship.

The researchers involved in the project are focusing on a number of points of interest: Detecting forms of administrative and territorial framing of communities on manorial lands; Analysing relations between Muslims and their lords and the effects of the overlapping of different jurisdictional spheres, both at the individual and collective level; and explore the impact that the two previous points had in the internal organisation of these communities, including the characteristics and attributions of the officials and governing bodies of the Muslim community, the functioning of obligations towards the Christians and towards themselves, and relations with the Christian authorities.

Although the project is still underway, some provisional findings are coming to light. For one, the strategies used by lords show significant similarities across the Crowns of Castile and Aragon. For another, Muslims were perceived as valuable dependents, whose permanence was often sought and even a point of contention between lords. Moreover, the unstable balance and struggles for power between the various Christian authorities had an obvious impact on Muslims. At times, Muslims were key elements in the entrenchment and legitimisation of signiorial power, and at others they were reduced to pawns affected by the ambitions of the various Christian actors. Observation of the multiple manifestations of lordship allows us to identify the different factors at play at each moment and their relative weight.

Selected Bibliography

Almagro Vidal, Clara. “Grammars of Dependence. A Historical Semantics Approach to Population Charters Granted by Military Orders to Muslims in Medieval Iberia”, Österreiche Zeitschrift für Geschichte, 34-2 (2023), pp. 105-124. https://doi.org/10.25365/oezg-2023-34-2-6

Almagro Vidal, Clara (ed.), Musulmanes y señores en la Edad Media Peninsular, Monographic issue in Espacio, Tiempo y Forma: Edad Media, 37 (2024), pp. 15-204. https://doi.org/10.5944/etfiii.37.2024

Moreno Moreno, Yolanda, “El negocio de mantener una aljama musulmana en tierras de señorío. El caso de Talavera de la Reina”, Musulmanes y señores en la Edad Media Peninsular, Número monográfico en Espacio, Tiempo y Forma: Edad Media, 37 (2024), pp.145-166. https://doi.org/10.5944/etfiii.37.2024.38802

García de Gea, Jorge Ángel, “Musulmanes al servicio de la nobleza: fuentes testamentarias bajomedievales”, Musulmanes y señores en la Edad Media Peninsular, Número monográfico en Espacio, Tiempo y Forma: Edad Media, 37 (2024), pp.63-90. https://doi.org/10.5944/etfiii.37.2024.39113


Photo: Ceiling of the chapel in Mesones de Isuela castle (Zaragoza), Clara Almagro Vidal (15.07.2024).