A Historical Day: April 16,
More than five centuries ago, on April 16, 1519, there was a significant event in the history of Catalonia. On that day, the country’s estates, which included the nobility, the clergy and the royal towns, decided to appoint Charles de Ghent as the new count of Barcelona, while also recognizing the figure of Joana de Aragon, his mother, despite the adverse circumstances that surrounded him.
The tension between the new monarch and Catalonia
The appointment of Charles was not a simple procedure, but reflected a deep conflict between the aspirations of the new king and the Catalan institutions. Charles, a clean of Ferdinand the Catholic, wanted to secure his authority before having negotiations with the Catalan Courts, who demanded that their demands be served before accepting their authority.
Les Corts and the call of May 12
After intense discussions, the Catalan Courts met on May 12, 1519. The Dietari de la Generalitat, who documented the events, mentioned the return of Carlos to Barcelona after a several days. The negotiations extended for eight months, during which Barcelona became the headquarters of the King’s Chancellery.
Final Chord: Gener 19 of 1520
On January 19, 1520, with an end agreement, Les Corts pledged to pay £ 250,000, a colossal amount for the time, in exchange for the confirmation of Carlos as Count of Barcelona without the presence of Joana. He also ratified several constitutions that favored trade between Catalonia and other regions, including the Ottoman ports and the Mediterranean Islands.
The Importance of that Moment
The Dietari documented this agreement in detail, a moment that symbolized not only a change of government, but also a new course for the relations between Catalonia and the Crown. The day culminated in the publication of the new Constitutions, a milestone that showed the importance of Catalan autonomy in the context of a constant Europe.
Reflections on the past
This episode not only emphasizes the political history of Catalonia, but also invites us to reflect on the relationship between central power and local authorities. The way these appointments were managed and the conditions imposed by the Courts have become a precedent in the struggle for autonomy and respect for their own institutions.