Principality of Tarragona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Principality of Tarragona
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 Flag
 Coat of arms of Robert d'Aguilo
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The Principality of Tarragona's borders by the end of the Principality in 1173 AD
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| Status |
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| Capital | Tarragona | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Medieval Latin, Old Norman, Old Catalan | ||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism (de jure) | ||||||||||
| Government | Feudal Monarchy under a (de jure) Ecclesiastical Principality | ||||||||||
| Prince of Tarragona | |||||||||||
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• 1129–1155
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Robert d'Aguilo I | ||||||||||
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• 1153–1155
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Ramon Berenguer IV | ||||||||||
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• 1155–1168
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Guillem d'Aguilo | ||||||||||
| Establishment | March 14, 1129 | ||||||||||
| Historical era | High Middle Ages | ||||||||||
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• Vassalage to the County of Barcelona
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1153 | ||||||||||
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• Incorporation into the Crown of Aragon
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1173 | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | Spain | ||||||||||
The Principality of Tarragona was a small state that existed in the city of Tarragona and its nearby areas. It was located on the northeastern coast of what is now Spain. This state was founded in 1129 by a Norman adventurer named Robert d'Aguilo I. It lasted until the 1170s when it became part of the Crown of Aragon.
The Principality was created after Christian forces took control of Tarragona in 1128. This happened during the Reconquista, a long period when Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula fought to regain land from Muslim rule.
Contents
How the Principality Began
Tarragona Becomes Christian
Tarragona was an important city during the Reconquista. The Catholic Church especially wanted to control it. Earlier attempts by the rulers of Barcelona to take the city had failed.
In 1088, Count Ramon Berenguer II of Barcelona gave the city and its surrounding land to the Catholic Church. However, Tarragona was not fully taken until 1116 by Count Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona.
After this conquest, the new Archbishop of Tarragona, Oleguer Bonestruga, needed help to protect and rebuild the city. It had lost many people and was falling apart. He asked Robert d'Aguilo, a skilled soldier from Normandy, for help. Robert had been a military governor before. He agreed to become the secular (non-religious) ruler of Tarragona.
Founding the Principality
On March 14, 1129, Robert d'Aguilo promised loyalty to Archbishop Oleguer Bonestruga. In return, he received Tarragona and its territory as a fief. This meant he was given the land to rule, but he owed loyalty to the Archbishop. Robert was named princeps Tarraconnensis, or Prince of Tarragona. His role was similar to a vidame, a military leader who protected Church lands.
Prince Robert was a vassal of the Church, not the Count of Barcelona. In 1130, he visited Pope Honorius II in Rome to get the Pope's support for his rule in Tarragona. While Robert was away, his wife, Sibyl, ruled the Principality. She even dressed like a knight and patrolled the city walls to keep the guards alert!
In 1133, Robert and his Norman army helped King Alfonso I of Aragon in a battle. This made Robert famous, even in faraway Italy. Over time, the Archbishop became less involved in Tarragona's daily rule. He continued to live in Barcelona and died in 1137.
Disputes with the Church
After Archbishop Bonestruga died, there was no archbishop for six years. During this time, the Principality of Tarragona was mostly independent. In 1143, a new archbishop was chosen, but he died soon after.
In 1146, Bernard Tort became the new Archbishop. He was a supporter of Count Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona. Archbishop Bernard wanted to bring Tarragona back under the Church's strong control. This led to many disagreements with the d'Aguilo family, who ruled the Principality. These disputes eventually led to the end of the Principality.
In 1146, the Knights Templar, a powerful religious military order, set up a base in Ciurana. This area was technically part of the Principality. This event showed that the Church's power in the region was growing, while the d'Aguilo family's power was shrinking.
In 1148, Tarragona's government was changed. Before, two main officials were elected by the townspeople. Now, Prince Robert would appoint them. This agreement also tried to make sure everyone in the Principality was loyal to Robert and the Archbishop. It also stated that Tarragona would follow the laws of Barcelona, not Norman laws.
In 1149, the Archbishop changed the original agreement from 1129. He removed the part that gave Tarragona to Robert d'Aguilo "forever." Instead, he divided Tarragona's rights and income into five parts. He also made one part of the city, where he lived, free from secular judges. At the same time, nearby cities were conquered by the Count of Barcelona. This meant Tarragona was now surrounded by lands loyal to Barcelona.
Court Case Against the Prince
In 1151, the arguments between the Archbishop and the d'Aguilo family became very serious. A court case was held to hear their complaints. The Archbishop accused the d'Aguilo family and their Norman settlers of several serious wrongdoings. These included burning Church mills, destroying a canal, and taking Church land. The accusations were mainly against Guillem d'Aguilo, Prince Robert's oldest son and heir. Prince Robert was nearly 70 years old at this time.
Guillem, in turn, accused the Archbishop of breaking the 1129 agreement. He claimed the Archbishop had taken control of two-thirds of the city. He also said the Archbishop was trying to take complete control of Tarragona to make it an "episcopal city," ruled entirely by the Church. Guillem argued that the Archbishop was unfairly creating many "dominicaturae." These were large land areas controlled by the Church, often much bigger than needed for religious buildings.
The Archbishop had indeed created many of these Church-controlled areas to expand his Church's power. He also claimed control over the old temple area of the city, where the cathedral would be built. Guillem wanted the court to agree that this was unfair and went against the original agreement. He also argued that some land the Archbishop claimed was Church land actually belonged to him, as he had bought it. However, the Church proved that this land had long been considered part of their territory.
Court's Decision
Guillem could not provide proof for his claims, so the court gave the disputed land to the Church. This made his other accusations seem less believable. After this, Archbishop Bernard accused Guillem of being disloyal for bringing false charges against him. This was a very serious offense.
The court, which included many Church officials and nobles loyal to the Count of Barcelona, dismissed Guillem's charges against the Archbishop. The court decided that if the Archbishop could prove Guillem had damaged Church property, it would mean Guillem had broken his promise of loyalty. This would make the 1129 agreement no longer valid. The court did not blame Prince Robert, but it gave the Archbishop the power to stop Guillem from inheriting the Principality.
End of the Principality
In June 1153, after more legal battles, Guillem and his mother (acting for Prince Robert I) promised loyalty again to the Archbishop. For the first time, they also swore loyalty to Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona. After this, Tarragona was divided into three parts, with the Normans (d'Aguilo family) only controlling one-third.
Two months later, in August 1153, Count Ramon Berenguer IV, with the Pope's approval, also took the title of Prince of Tarragona. He ruled as a Co-Prince alongside Robert d'Aguilo I. When Guillem d'Aguilo became Prince, Ramon Berenguer IV stopped using the title, making Guillem the sole Prince.
Prince Robert I died in the late 1150s. After his death, there was constant fighting and a civil war that lasted until the 1170s. In 1163, Archbishop Bernard Tort died and was replaced by Archbishop Hugh de Cervello.
Prince Guillem, who had failed to win his case in court, now used force. He took over parts of Tarragona held by the Archbishop and illegally collected money. This caused a lot of damage to the city. Tarragona became divided by two armed groups. Even the forts around the city, meant to protect it, became battlegrounds in this civil war.
King Alfonso II Steps In
To stop the violence, the young King Alfonso II of Aragon called Prince Guillem to his court in Tortosa in 1168. King Alfonso II criticized Guillem for his violent actions. He threatened to banish Guillem and take all his lands. Guillem defended himself, and the King decided to be somewhat lenient.
Prince Guillem was ordered to stop his illegal actions, including attacking the Church. He was also forbidden from starting wars without the King's permission. He had to pay for the damage to Tarragona. Then, Guillem had to promise loyalty again to both the Archbishop and the King.
Soon after this, Prince Guillem d'Aguilo was found dead in Tortosa. He was likely killed by people working for Archbishop Cervello. Archbishop Cervello was very hostile towards the d'Aguilo family. After Guillem's death, his younger brother, Robert d'Aguilo II, claimed the title of Prince of Tarragona.
In early 1169, a Muslim rebellion started in Tarragona. It was supported by Muslim rulers from Valencia and Murcia. The civil war in the Principality continued until April 1171, when Archbishop Cervello was killed. This led to another intervention by King Alfonso II, who restored order and stopped the Muslim revolt.
In June 1171, Pope Alexander III issued official orders in response to the Archbishop's death. He excommunicated the d'Aguilo family from the Church and demanded they be expelled from Tarragona. In January 1172, Pope Alexander III congratulated King Alfonso II for getting rid of the d'Aguilos.
After putting down the Muslim revolt, King Alfonso II finally forced the d'Aguilo brothers, Robert II and Berenguer, out of Tarragona in mid-1172. They fled to Mallorca. By 1173, King Alfonso II had full control over Tarragona, and the Principality of Tarragona no longer existed.
Currency of Tarragona
The Principality of Tarragona made its own money, called the libra. On one side, it had the head of an eagle, which represented the d'Aguilo family. On the other side, it had the Tau or Greek cross of Santa Tecla, the patron saint of the city. These symbols showed that the city had both secular (non-religious) and Church rule.
Early versions of these coins had no writing. But later coins, made from the 1140s onwards, had the words "DE TA RA GO NA" around the eagle's head.
Images for kids
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The Praetorian Tower in Tarragona, used by Robert d'Aguilo as his Royal Palace
See also
In Spanish: Principado de Tarragona para niños
