Counts - The Origins of Catalonia

Count Wilfred cannot prevent the peasants from his territory from expanding the land they cultivate. There are too many people in the mountains, and they do not have enough food. The peasants are braver than the Count and they dare to cultivate frontier land although they know this will anger the Saracens, who have their capital at Lleida. Wilfred is forced to join the peasants and lead the conquest of new lands. To stop this situation, the Saracens fight the Count of Barcelona and Wilfred is fatally wounded by the Wali of Lleida, the Muslim leader defending the frontier of Al-Andalus. Shortly before he dies, Wilfred appoints his son (Wilfred II) as count in a gesture considered to be the origin of the Barcelona dynasty. In this period, only the king normally appointed counts, and they were not necessarily the descendants of the man who had died. This gesture by Wilfred I panics the court and his widow because they do not know whether the king will confirm the appointment or declare war on them. The County of Barcelona is trapped between the Muslims in the south and the Franks in the north.

The challenge for Wilfred Borrell is to consolidate Wilfred I’s deathbed gesture, obtaining the approval of the Carolingian king, Charles the Simple. The repercussions of the breach with the established order put the lives of the count and his family at risk. This situation generates great tension in the family and rivalries between Sunyer of Empúries, a relative of the counts who operates as a pirate, and the Church, represented by Archbishop Arnust. To everyone’s surprise, the Carolingian king gives his blessing to the dynastic succession in County of Barcelona, Girona and Osona, which are unified. This is the first big territorial integration of what will later become Catalonia. And Sunyer of Empúries gets even with Arnust.

Wilfred Borrell is dead. He has left no male descendant and his younger brother Sunyer comes to the throne. Ambitious and expansionist, he breaks the treaties with the Saracens, creating great tension on the frontier. The peasants who actually have to live in the frontier areas are unable to rest as they are always worrying about the surprise arrival of the Muslims, who steal their food, burn their houses and kidnap their women. In the world, things are changing. In the north, the Carolingian empire is suffering internal tensions and breaking up while, in the south, the Muslim empire is also falling apart. The Muslim capital, Cordoba, is incapable of dominating its frontier territories, including the northern region known as the Spanish March, where the Counts of Barcelona are becoming strong and extending their dominions southwards. Sunyer is victorious in many battles and expands the county. He tries to protect his son Ermengol, who is due to succeed him, but he finally gives in and allows him to fight the raiding Hungarian hordes. The great victory comes at a high cost: the death of Ermengol. Sunyer suddenly becomes very religious and shuts himself away in a monastery, leaving the title of count shared between his two young sons: Miró and Borrell II.

Miró and Borrell II share the government. While Miró concerns himself with domestic government, Borrell II acts as count and faces a grave situation. Some of the Saracens are preparing for war. Borrell wants a treaty with Cordoba because he knows his king, the Frankish king, to whom he owes his title, and who therefore has to protect him in the case of war, is too far away and is active on too many fronts to send troops to defend Barcelona. Miró dies and Borrell has the support of his friend Gotmar. Almansor, a Muslim leader who wants his own land, does not obey Cordoba, builds up strongholds in Lleida and Tarragona and prepares to attack Barcelona. In such a serious situation, Borrell asks the Frankish king for troops but receives no aid. Almansor defeats Barcelona, although Borrell resists with dignity. After the battle and the sack of Barcelona, the Saracens abandon the city and Borrell, seeing that he has been left alone to defend Barcelona and its county, accepts that he now owes nothing to the Frankish king, declaring the county’s independence.

Count Wilfred cannot prevent the peasants from his territory from expanding the land they cultivate. There are too many people in the mountains, and they do not have enough food. The peasants are braver than the Count and they dare to cultivate frontier land although they know this will anger the Saracens, who have their capital at Lleida. Wilfred is forced to join the peasants and lead the conquest of new lands. To stop this situation, the Saracens fight the Count of Barcelona and Wilfred is fatally wounded by the Wali of Lleida, the Muslim leader defending the frontier of Al-Andalus. Shortly before he dies, Wilfred appoints his son (Wilfred II) as count in a gesture considered to be the origin of the Barcelona dynasty. In this period, only the king normally appointed counts, and they were not necessarily the descendants of the man who had died. This gesture by Wilfred I panics the court and his widow because they do not know whether the king will confirm the appointment or declare war on them. The County of Barcelona is trapped between the Muslims in the south and the Franks in the north.

Miró and Borrell II share the government. While Miró concerns himself with domestic government, Borrell II acts as count and faces a grave situation. Some of the Saracens are preparing for war. Borrell wants a treaty with Cordoba because he knows his king, the Frankish king, to whom he owes his title, and who therefore has to protect him in the case of war, is too far away and is active on too many fronts to send troops to defend Barcelona. Miró dies and Borrell has the support of his friend Gotmar. Almansor, a Muslim leader who wants his own land, does not obey Cordoba, builds up strongholds in Lleida and Tarragona and prepares to attack Barcelona. In such a serious situation, Borrell asks the Frankish king for troops but receives no aid. Almansor defeats Barcelona, although Borrell resists with dignity. After the battle and the sack of Barcelona, the Saracens abandon the city and Borrell, seeing that he has been left alone to defend Barcelona and its county, accepts that he now owes nothing to the Frankish king, declaring the county’s independence.