Barcelona

The Middle Ages

At the start of the 9th century, following the Muslim invasion and the expulsion of the Arabs from the Iberian peninsula by the Franks, the territory of what later became Catalonia was organised into comtats, counties ruled by counts based on the territorial divisions of the Visigothic period. The Comtat de Barcelona (County of Barcelona) was originally established by the ruler of the Carolingian Empire but the break-up of the empire saw Guifré el Pelós (Wilfred the Hairy) set up the Casal de Barcelona (House of Barcelona) as Barcelona was the main county in the Catalan lands and dominated the others.

In the 11th century, Count Ramon Berenguer I proclaimed the Usatges de Barcelona. These rules and customs formed the first Catalan legislative text and sought to solve the legal problems created by the new feudal society. They applied to all of Old Catalonia. With the unification of the various counties in the Catalan lands under the jurisdiction of King Alphonse l in the 12th century, the Principality of Catalonia took shape and, from that moment, the sovereign of the Principality also held the title of Count of Barcelona.

Under the protection of the counts, an agricultural and craft-based Barcelona increased its political and commercial importance and grew rapidly. The ancient Roman walls were now too small, so compact but unprotected urban centres developed round new parishes outside the walls.

Consell de Cent and the Corts Catalanes

During the reign of Jaume I, the Conqueror (1218-76), King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona, government of Barcelona, the Ciutat Comtal, passed into the hands of the Consell de Cent (Council of One Hundred), a new form of municipal government comprising 128 members, that lasted until 1714.

The increase in trade brought lots of merchants to Barcelona and led to the establishment of the Consolat del Mar in 1258. This Maritime Consulate regulated maritime trade and was responsible for the port regulations.