The power and control of information in municipal representation in the Catalan courts: the Consell de Prohoms of Lleida in the fifteenth century

ABSTRACT

When studying the royal arm of Catalan Parliaments in the fifteenth century, it is interesting to take into account, beyond the sources of a parliamentary nature, municipal documentation relating to those parliaments. The royal arm includes the representatives of the cities directly owned by the sovereign who enjoyed the privilege of being able to participate in these assemblies This type of municipal documentation provides an insight into the management process of how information went to and from the courts. The city of Lleida represents a good case study as it offers a relatively comprehensive picture of the information relating to the courts that administrated the royal cities in this period, especially during the reign of Alfonso the Magnanimous (1416–58), as well as how this was managed. In this way, it is interesting to delve into the analysis of the Consell de Prohoms, a commission created to advise procurators in the courts on the topics to be discussed. The importance of these commissions is reflected in the type of people that made up the commission membership. Most of the members belonged to the urban oligarchy and they had considerable experience in the management of the municipality.¹.

KEYWORDS:

• 15th century
• Alfonso the Magnanimous
• Royal Arm
• Catalonia
• Lleida
• Consell de Prohoms

Notes

1 With regard to the composition of these commissions, 1435–54, the mà major represents approximately 75 per cent. E. Martí, ‘Procuradores y consejos asesores de las ciudades reales en las Cortes catalanas y en los parlamentos sardos del siglo XV’, in M.B. Castella and E. Martí (eds), RiMe. ¿Órganos técnicos o instrumentos políticos? Las comisiones de trabajo de las instituciones parlamentarias y representativas 2, (2014), p. 74.

2 For more information on recent studies related to parliamentary history in the late medieval crown of Aragon, and more specifically its representation in the royal estate, see L.M. Sánchez, Cortes, Monarquía y ciudades en Aragón (1416–1458) (Zaragoza, 1994); M.R. Muñoz, ‘Autonomía ciudadana y poder regio en las Cortes valencianas bajomedievales’, Archivio Storico Sardo 2, (2001), pp. 81–108; A.M. Oliva and O. Schena, ‘Autonomie cittadine e potere regio negli atti dei Parlamenti del Regno di Sardegna nel Quattrocento’, Archivio Sardo: rivista di studi storici e locali 2, (2001), pp. 70–9; E. Martí, Lleida a les Corts. Similarly, see the more general work M. Hebert, Parlementer: assemblées représentatives et échange politique en Europe occidentale à la fin du Moyen Âge (Paris, 2014).

3 Cortes de los antiguos reinos de Aragón y de Valencia y Principado de Cataluña. Cortes de Cataluña 26 vols (Madrid, 1896–1922), vols. V-XXVI, (1901–22); R. Conde, A. Hernández, S. Riera and M. Rovira, ‘Fonts per a l’estudi de les Corts i els Parlaments de Catalunya. Catàleg dels processos de Corts i els Parlaments’, in Les corts a Catalunya: actes del congrés d’història institucional (28, 29 i 30 d’abril de 1988) (Barcelona, 1991), pp. 36–47.

4 E. Martí, ‘“Al qual donà ample e bastant poder a tots los actes faedors en les dites Corts”. Poder y representación municipal de Lleida en las Cortes catalanas (1416–1458)’, Imago Temporis, Medium Aevum XI, (2017), pp. 268–9.

5 A. Era, Il parlamento sardo del 1481–1485 (Cagliari, 1955), p. 131.

6 According to García de Valdeavellano, this council was called Vintriquatrena de la Cort, in reference the number of its members. L. García de Valdeavellano, Curso de historia de las instituciones españolas. De los orígenes al final de la Edad Media (Madrid, 1986), p. 479.

7 For an overview of the function and composition of these councils, see E. Martí, ‘Procuradores y consejos asesores de las ciudades reales en las Cortes catalanas y en los parlamentos sardos del siglo XV’, pp. 53–85.

8 Martí, Lleida a les Corts, pp. 41–56.

9 This is the case of the Sunyer, Matheu, Riquer, De Peus Maull, Antist, Despens or Pardina families. E. Martí, ‘Los juristas en la representación de Lleida en las Cortes de Alfonso el Magnánimo’, in Ll. Guia, M.G. Mele and G. Serreli (eds) Centri di potere nel Mediterraneo occidentale. Dal Medioevo alla fine dell’Antico Regime (Milan, 2018), pp. 78–9.

10 In Lleida, during the period analysed, 46 per cent of trustees had a legal background. Martí, ‘Los juristas en la representación de Lleida en las Cortes de Alfonso el Magnánimo’, p. 77. On the city trustee in the courts, see B. Palacios, ‘La representacion municipal en Cortes. Estudio de la figura del Procurador de Zaragoza a mediados del siglo XV’, En la España medieval 7, (1985), pp. 1241–70; M. Turull, ‘Síndicos a Cortes. Perfil social, politico e institucional de los representantes ciudadanos a Cortes y Parlamentos en Cataluna (1333–1393)’, in El món urbà, vol. III, pp. 989–1012; J.A. Barrio, ‘Los procuradores del Brazo Real en las Cortes medievales del Reino de Valencia’, Aragón en la Edad Media 21, (2009), pp. 59–98; Martí, Lleida a les Corts, pp. 67–153.

11 According to the documentation consulted, the power that Lleida gave its procurator or procurators to make decisions, speak on behalf of the city, present grievances or negotiate the donation to the crown during assemblies was usually ample and sufficient: (1436): ‘E publicats los dits vots, encomitent lo present consell constrituhí síndic e missatger a les dites corts lo dit honourable micer Jacme Navarra, al qual donà ample e bastant poder a tots los actes faedors en les dites Corts, fermant-li sindicat ample e bastant, segons a semblants síndichs e missatgers és acustumat fermar’ (And published said votes, this council, as a group, has chosen as syndic and messenger Jaume Navarra, to whom the council gives ample and sufficient power in all the acts of said Corts, giving him ample and sufficient power of attorney, as is usually given these syndics and messengers’). AML. reg. 412, ff. 59v–63v. E. Martí, ‘“Al qual donà ample e bastant poder a tots los actes faedors en les dites Corts”. Poder y representación municipal de Lleida en las Cortes catalanas (1416–1458)’, pp. 270–1.

12 Martí, ‘“Al qual donà ample’, pp. 260–9.

13 E. Martí, ‘Els memorials o instruccions per als síndics a Corts de la ciutat de Lleida durant el regnat d’Alfons el Magnànim’, in J. Sobreques, J. Agirreazkuenaga, M. Morales, M. Urquijo and M. Cisneros (eds), Proceedings of the 53rd Conference of the International Commission for the History of Representative and Parliamentary Institutions (Barcelona, 3–6 September, 2003) 2 vols (Barcelona, 2005), vol. II, pp. 1633–41.

14 Arxiu Municipal de Lleida (AML). reg. 328, f. 51v.

15 See the transcript of the memorial that the city of Lleida gave to its trustees Joan Riambau and Bartomeu Maull in 1448; Martí, Lleida a les Corts, pp. 209–12. On the delicate state that the royal cities found themselves in during this century, or taxes and public debt, see among others M. Sánchez, ‘La monarquía y las ciudades desde el observatorio de la fiscalidad’, in J.A. Sesma (ed), La Corona de Aragón en el centro de su historia, 1208–1458: la monarquía aragonesa y los reinos de la Corona (Zaragoza, 2010), pp. 45–66; W. Kuchler, Les finances de la Corona d’Aragó al segle XV (regnats d’Alfons V i Joan II) (Valencia, 1997); M. Turull, El gobierno de la ciudad medieval. Administración y finanzas en las ciudades medievales catalanas (Barcelona, 2009).

16 AML, Reg. 407; fol. 35–6v.

17 AML, Reg. 412; fol. 32–3.

18 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 82. Martí, ‘“Al qual donà ample’, pp. 266–7.

19 Ítem nos maravellam molt e tant que no podem pus com tant vos és en embalbira la mà de no scriurens dels fets de les corts … . AML, Reg. 844, f. 10–10v.

20 On the reforms in the justice system of the principality, see I. Sánchez de Movellán, La Diputació del General de Catalunya (1413–1479) (Barcelona, 2004), pp. 269–338, 421–39.

21 ‘Mossen Andreu Despens, in Ffrancesch del Bosch, in Gispert Matheu, in Jachme Navarra, Misser Ffrancesch Sunyer, in Nicholau Agulló, in Bertran de Peus, in Pere Cortines, in Borthomeu Vell’. AML, Reg. 742, fol. 80v–82.

22 AML, Reg. 405 Bis; fol. 11v–13. Regarding the last years of the reign of Martin the Humane and the instability of the courts, see M.T. Ferrer, ‘Les Corts i la Generalitat de Catalunya durant el regnat de Martí l’Humà’, in M.T. Ferrer (ed), Martí l'Humà: el darrer rei de la dinastia de Barcelona (1396–1410): L'Interregne i el Compromís de Casp (Barcelona, 2015), pp. 121–65. On the Compromiso de Caspe, see A. Riera, ‘Les primeres conseqüències polítiques del Compromís de Casp a Catalunya: Les relacions entre la monarquia, les Corts i la Diputació del General durant el Regnat de Ferran d’Antequera’, in M.I. Falcón (ed.), El compromiso de Caspe (1412), cambios dinásticos y Constitucionalismo en la Corona de Aragón (Zaragoza, 2013), pp. 706–17.

23 AML, Reg. 405 Bis; fol. 36v–37.

24 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 97r–98r. On the deliberations within the courts concerning the change of venue, see Udina, ‘El braç reial’, pp. 1015–16.

25 The donation was an amount that the monarch requested from the estates after giving his initial discourse and exposing the motivations for the convocation of the parliament. The estates, once the grievances presented to the sovereign had been resolved and he had promulgated the new constitutions and other regulations, voted the amount they could offer to the king and established the conditions for this concession. On the issue of donations, see O. Oleart, ‘Organització i atribucions de la Cort General’, in Les Corts a Catalunya (Actes del Congrés d'Historia Institucional, 28, 29 i 30 d'abril de 1988), (Barcelona, 1991), pp. 15–24. M. Sánchez Martínez, - P. Ortí, Corts, Parlaments i fiscalitat a Catalunya: els capítols del Donatiu (1288–1384) (Barcelona, 1997).

26 1419: ‘Micer Pere de Carcassona, Nicholau Gralla, micer Ramon d’Osó, Bernat Gomar, Guillem Jordà d’Aulàs, Jacme Soler’. AML, Reg. 407; fol. 33–36v. 1430: ‘Pere Ycart, Bernat Gomar, Steve de Guimerà, Guillem Boix, Ffrancoy de Remolins, Jachme Malet’. Reg. 410; fol. 38v-3.

27 AML, Reg. 742, f. 73.

28 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 108v–109.

29 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 135–7.

30 … los dits síndichs no prometent alguna cosa a la dita Senyora per venir açí. AML, Reg. 742, fol. 77–8v.

31 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 79–79v.

32 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 77v–8.

33 About Pere Cardona and his family, as well as his important role in the Consell de Prohoms of Lleida, Diputació del General and parliaments, see: Martí, Lleida a les corts, pp. 118–20.

34 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 77v–8. Josep Maria Solé i Sabaté (ed.), Història de la Generalitat de Catalunya i dels seus presidents, 1339–1518, 3 vols (Barcelona, 2003), vol. I, pp. 170–2.

35 AML, Reg. 742, ff. 77v–78r. On the functioning of the Diputació del General, see: I. Sánchez de Movellán, La Diputació del General de Catalunya (1413–1479) (Barcelona, 2004); I. Sánchez de Movellán, ‘Política y constitucionalismo a través de la Diputació del General de Catalunya (1413–1479)’, in El compromiso de Caspe (1412), pp. 757–63.

36 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 79v–80.

37 On the tension in the courts of 1454–8, see Udina, ‘El braç reial’, p. 1019; T. Earenfight, ‘The Political Dynamic between the Aragonese Monarchy and the Consell de Cent of Barcelona during the lieutenancy of Maria of Castile (1449–1458)’, in El món urbà, vol. III, pp. 249–57. F. Sabaté, ’Estamentos, Soberanía y modelo político en la Cataluña Bajomedieval’, Aragón en la Edad Media XXI (2009), pp. 272–3.

38 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 97v–98v; Reg. 366; fol. 2–2v.

39 Cortes de los antiguos reinos, vol XXII, p. 305, 317–9, 324, 348–67.

40 On this subject see in particular the work of C. Batlle, Barcelona a medianos del siglo XV: historia de una crisis urbana (Barcelona, 1976); C. Batlle, ‘El retorn a la Busca i la Biga, els dos partits de la Barcelona medieval’, Acta historica et archaeologica mediaevalia 3 (1986), pp. 229–34.

41 See note 17. AML, Reg. 742, 82, 86v, 92v–93v, 95–95v, 97v.

42 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 92v–93v.

43 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 100v. Cortes de los antiguos reinos, vol XXII, p. 132. On the Redreç within the General Deputation see I. Sánchez de Movellán, La Diputació, pp. 123–5, 127.

44 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 86v. For a description of the Capítols de Cort and the Constituciones, see Oleart, ‘Organització i atribucions de la Cort General’, p. 21.

45 In 1451 Lleida disagreed with Barcelona on the conditions to be imposed on the king to obtain a subsidy. In the end, the consell de prohoms told their procurators to join Barcelona, but if they could convince them to impose the conditions they had deliberated on it would be much better for everyone. AML, Reg. 742, fol. 110v–111v.

46 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 140v–141. Cortes de los antiguos reinos, vol. XXII, pp. 350–1, 375–6.

47 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 141–2.

48 AML, Reg. 742, fol. 142–142v.

49 Cortes de los antiguos reinos, vol. XXII, pp. 404–5.

50 AML, Reg. 411; fol. 43–5.

51 AML, Reg. 411; fol. 43–5.

52 AML, Reg. 415, fol. 46–7.

53 Although a more detailed analysis is necessary in order to give a definitive figure, 75 per cent of the components of these commissions belonged to the Mà major, 1435–54. Martí, Lleida a les corts, pp. 69–70.

54 On jurists and their evolution as a social class in the Late Middle Ages: T. de Montagut, ‘La jurisdicción municipal en Cataluña y los juristas de Barcelona en la Baja Edad Media’, in Faire bans, edictz et statuz: Légiférer dans la ville médiévale. Sources, objects et acteurs de l’activité législative communale en occident, CA. 1200–1550 (Bruxelles, 2001), pp. 342–3.

55 Martí,  ‘Procuradores y consejos’, pp. 72–3.

56 The parliaments of San Cugat and Tortosa (1419–20), the parliament of Tortosa (1429–30), the parliament of Cervera (1430) -although this parliament did not meet because of a plague epidemic-, the parliament of Barcelona (1431–34), Corts Generals of Monzón (1435–36) and the parliament of Barcelona (1436–37). Cortes de los Antiguos Reinos, vol. XVII, p. 18. Martí, Lleida a les Corts, p. 118. AML, Reg. 410; fol. 8v–9v; Reg. 412; fol. 27–28.

57 AML, Reg. 407, ff. 1–1v; Reg. 405 Bis, ff. 36v–37; Reg. 412, ff.1v–2.

58 AML, Reg. 405 Bis; fol. 11–13v.

59 Cortes de los Antiguos Reinos, vol. XVII; p. 83.

60 AML, Reg. 407; fol. 1–1v. Reg. 405 Bis; fol. 36v–37. Reg. 412; fol. 1–2. J. Lladonosa, L’estudi General de Lleida del 1430 al 1524 (Lleida, 1970), pp. 116, 119, 124–5.

61 Martí, ‘Procuradores y consejos’, p. 74.

62 Martí, Lleida a les Corts, pp. 105, 112–32. J. Lladonosa, Historia de Lleida, 2 vols (Lleida, 1975), vol. 2, pp. 684–710. Lladonosa, L’estudi General, p. 156.

63 For example, Bartomeu Maull, one of the city's most esteemed jurists, was a city lawyer, paer and messenger on numerous occasions. He was an adviser to Queen Maria. His descendants acquired nobility in the sixteenth century and enjoyed a good position within the church of Lleida. In the same way, the procurator Gispert Mateu, present in numerous Consells de Prohoms between 1435 and 1453, was a cousin of the Montsuar, with Manuel de Montsuar, president of the Diputació del General, being their maximum exponent. Martí, Lleida a les corts, pp. 105, 125–6; AML, Reg. 411, fol. 43r–45r. Reg. 412, fol. 23v–24v. Reg. 415, fol. 46v–47v, 76–78v, 97–98v. J. Lladonosa, Manuel de Montsuar, president de Catalunya (1410–1491) (Barcelona, 1962); J. Busqueta, Manuel de Montsuar: contra l'autoritarisme (Lleida, 2011). Martí,’Procuradores y consejos asesores’, pp. 74–8.

64 Martí, ‘Procuradores y consejos asesores de las ciudades reales en las Cortes catalanas y en los parlamentos sardos del siglo XV’, pp. 74–6.

65 One of the parliamentary bodies duty focuses on limiting and adjusting the abuses, so-called burdens (greuges in Catalan), committed by royal officials, cities or people. Burdens are denounced by the bodies during parliamentary sessions, and the commission of examinadors de greuges are in charge of taking decision on this issue. O. Schena, ‘Funzione e composizione della commissione degli “examinadors de greuges” nei Parlamenti del Regno di Sardegna (secc. XV–XVI). Prime note’, in M.B. Castella and E. Martí (eds.), RiMe. ¿Órganos técnicos o instrumentos políticos? Las comisiones de trabajo de las instituciones parlamentarias y representativas 2 vols (2014), pp. 9–29.

66 This is evidenced by the presence of this family on different occasions in the election of Prohoms de les Corts and in the Diputació del General, and having had two procurators at the courts, among which Cardona stands out because of his importance in the courts of 1454. His descendants occupied an important role within the military arm at the end of the century. AML, Reg. 411, fol. 43–45; Reg. 412, fol. 23–4, 29v–31. Martí, Lleida a les Corts, p. 119; F.J. Morales, Ciudadanos y burgueses honrados habilitados como síndicos del Brazo Real en las Cortes del Principado de Cataluña. Dinastías de Trastámara y Austria. Siglos XV y XVI (1410–1599) (Madrid, 1995), p. 94.

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Esther Martí Sentañes

Esther Martí Sentañes is a Doctor in History (University of Lledia) and a researcher at the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Storia dell'Europa mediterranea (CNR -ISEM), Italy. Her main lines of research include the parliamentary history of the Crown of Aragon in the late Middle Ages and its relationships with the urban world. Her publications on Lleida include Lleida a les corts. Els síndics municipals a l’època d’Alfons el Magnànim (Lleida, 2006).