Some years went by since the creation of the county of Barcelona to the creation of Crown of Aragon—or Catalan-Aragonese Crown. The unification involved a group of kingdoms and counties. The Catalan-Aragonese Crown is a dynastic union. Ramon Berenger wore a coat of arms with one side as count of Barcelona, and the other as king of Aragon. This union allowed everyone to preserve their internal independence. This agreed union preserved the identity of each of its parts thus allowing the territorial integrity as well as the continuity of the laws, customs, and institutions of each of the realms. The Crown of Aragon was a political entity with equal powers with Castile.
1. Almodis de la Marca (1020-1071): daughter of counts; she married in 1035 and divorced in 1040 with a son. Later on she married again and had four more children. By 1053 her second marriage broke up, and in 1054 she took a fidelity oath to Ramon Berenguer I. The andalusian geographer al-Bakri narrates that the former marriage led them to be excommunicated by the Pope under the encouragement of Blanca d’Empúries (Ramon Bereneguer’s wife) and countess Ermessenda.
Almodis was a woman of government. Among her most important actions is the renovation of the juridical code (Usatges, a compilation of laws and regulations) and the diplomatic relations with the governors of the neighboring Moorish kingdoms, like the Emir of Dènia.
She died in 1071, assassinated by Pere Ramon, son of Berenger and his first wife.
For further information:
- Aurell, Martin. (1995). Les noces du comte. Mariage et pouvoir en Catalogne (785-1213). París: Publications de la Sorbonne.
2. Peronella I, queen of Aragon and countess of Barcelona (1136-1174). When she was one year old she was betrothed to Count Ramon Berenguer IV. Around 1150 the marriage took place. Ramon was bestowed as prince but he never got the title of king. Peronella widowed in 1162 and she acted as queen regent until 1164 when she renounced on behalf of her eldest son Ramon, who changed his name to Alfons and was crowned king.
By Francesc Bonastre
Almodis de le marche is my 29x Great Grandmother and Peronella is my 26x Great Grandmother on my mother's side. :)