WEBVTT 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:05.450 Hello. In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, 00:00:05.950 --> 00:00:12.369 it was March 10, 1387. My name is Jonathan Seyfried. 00:00:12.929 --> 00:00:16.190 I'm a PhD candidate in history at the University 00:00:16.190 --> 00:00:19.949 of New Mexico. And this is the Historian's Notebook, 00:00:20.350 --> 00:00:25.010 a podcast about how history gets made. Season 00:00:25.010 --> 00:00:28.920 one is titled Molt Cara Companyona. We're looking 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:31.739 at a document from each day of the first year 00:00:31.739 --> 00:00:36.520 of the reign of King Joan I of Aragon and Queen 00:00:36.520 --> 00:00:40.380 Violant de Bar. Let's begin today's document. 00:01:04.189 --> 00:01:09.750 Wowsers, folks, this document today is juicy. 00:01:10.890 --> 00:01:15.250 If you would like to know what it sounds like 00:01:15.250 --> 00:01:21.969 when Joan is super angry and lets it rip in 00:01:21.969 --> 00:01:26.450 a document, I think you could do no better than 00:01:26.450 --> 00:01:31.219 to look at this letter from March 10th. So he 00:01:31.219 --> 00:01:37.299 is chewing out a subordinate. There's this governor 00:01:37.299 --> 00:01:41.579 of Aragon, like the, you know, main region of 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:45.799 the Crown of Aragon, and this person is named 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:52.840 Sanxo Martinez. And Joan starts out this letter 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:57.689 in this, like, really, like... you know, brace 00:01:57.689 --> 00:02:00.849 yourself kind of way, because it starts out with 00:02:00.849 --> 00:02:05.510 governador. It's in Catalan. Governador, muy 00:02:05.510 --> 00:02:13.289 to somos maravillados, ende estamos. And then 00:02:13.289 --> 00:02:20.370 I think com indignación contra vos. So that means 00:02:20.370 --> 00:02:27.669 governor. We are astonished, like you know, it's 00:02:27.669 --> 00:02:34.789 like we marvel in how we are so indignant against 00:02:34.789 --> 00:02:42.270 you. Why? Because you have not followed our instructions 00:02:42.270 --> 00:02:49.669 and our orders to confiscate some estates of 00:02:49.669 --> 00:02:54.409 guess who? I'm going to give you just a few seconds 00:02:54.409 --> 00:02:58.210 here, delaying it just a bit so you can guess 00:02:58.210 --> 00:03:03.229 if you are mad at a governor for not confiscating 00:03:03.229 --> 00:03:08.770 somebody's property, who is it? Well, if you 00:03:08.770 --> 00:03:12.610 guessed one of the de Fortias, whether it's Sibilla 00:03:12.610 --> 00:03:16.969 or Bernat, bravo to you. You have been a loyal 00:03:16.969 --> 00:03:22.319 listener to this podcast because nothing. gets 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:26.280 Joan more angry, and tomorrow Violant writes 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:30.080 about it too. Nothing gets them more angry than 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:36.099 when the de Fortias seem to be getting away. And 00:03:36.099 --> 00:03:41.759 so here there's these two residences or properties 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:48.960 in Borja and Magallón. and Joan has found out 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:54.280 that the governor has ignored orders and has 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:58.219 delayed in confiscating these properties. Like 00:03:58.219 --> 00:04:01.020 I guess Bernat de Fortia just still has them 00:04:01.020 --> 00:04:03.680 and is still like getting money off of them or 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:06.449 maybe is like playing in them. I don't know. 00:04:06.569 --> 00:04:08.750 He's supposed to be under house arrest still. 00:04:08.770 --> 00:04:14.009 I don't quite understand, like, how after, you 00:04:14.009 --> 00:04:17.269 know, only a couple months, this is causing such 00:04:17.269 --> 00:04:21.810 a big thorn in the side of Joan. And we'll 00:04:21.810 --> 00:04:24.329 see tomorrow, Violant is also going to write 00:04:24.329 --> 00:04:28.810 to the same governor, laying into him. But this 00:04:28.810 --> 00:04:33.189 letter just goes on and on, saying, you'd better 00:04:33.189 --> 00:04:38.100 do this. and there and you've been in obedient 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:42.060 like there's on the third to last line of this 00:04:42.060 --> 00:04:49.579 of folio 23 v in obedience yeah and then the 00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:52.660 letter ends right before the dating clause with 00:04:52.660 --> 00:05:01.870 this phrase terror a ejemplo terror and example, 00:05:02.410 --> 00:05:06.310 and what's being expressed there is that if this 00:05:06.310 --> 00:05:11.889 governor does not immediately carry out the confiscation 00:05:11.889 --> 00:05:17.870 of these properties of Bernat de Fortia, then 00:05:17.870 --> 00:05:21.850 he will be fired immediately. He will be removed 00:05:21.850 --> 00:05:24.389 from his office and they are going to punish 00:05:24.389 --> 00:05:30.639 him in a way that causes terror, and, and it 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:34.779 sets an example for anybody else that would drag 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:41.699 their feet on orders like this. Whoa, my goodness, 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:46.160 this is an amazing just like letting loose of 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:52.279 emotion in the letter itself. Oh my gosh. You 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:54.420 know what, I think I'm just gonna read out the 00:05:54.420 --> 00:05:58.560 translation. because it's just like so dramatic. 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:07.420 Here we go. Governor, we are so astonished and 00:06:07.420 --> 00:06:14.860 we are filled with an indignation against you 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:18.980 because you did not carry out what we sent to 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:21.600 command you regarding the seizure of the places 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:27.710 of Borja and Magallón and other properties. of 00:06:27.710 --> 00:06:33.889 Mossen Bernat da Fortia and his sister. So that 00:06:33.889 --> 00:06:36.670 would be Sibilla. So he's not even like referring 00:06:36.670 --> 00:06:42.769 to Sibilla by name. So unless there's like another, 00:06:43.829 --> 00:06:49.350 but that's crazy. I just noticed that. Oh my 00:06:49.350 --> 00:06:52.990 gosh. He's not even dignifying Sibilla with like 00:06:52.990 --> 00:06:57.860 saying her name in the letter. Oh my gosh. All 00:06:57.860 --> 00:07:02.720 right. So regarding the seizure of places of 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.779 Borja and Magallón and other properties of Mossen 00:07:05.779 --> 00:07:09.920 Bernat de Fortia and of his sister, which 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:12.959 seizure or of which seizure we ordered to be 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:19.079 done reasonably and legally and of which we entrusted 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:23.839 to you neither the judgment nor the determination 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:30.699 but only the execution because considering that 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:35.720 you would be guilty of the disobedience and contempt 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:40.500 that in this you committed we tell you and command 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.100 you expressly and with certain knowledge that 00:07:43.100 --> 00:07:46.300 immediately upon sight of the present letter 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:50.920 our said command be fulfilled and that you restore 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:58.170 to our hand the said places and properties. And 00:07:58.170 --> 00:08:01.550 I think it's like, and it says realment, like, 00:08:01.790 --> 00:08:05.610 like, in reality, like, it's a little hard to 00:08:05.610 --> 00:08:09.550 translate. In fact, in executing these orders, 00:08:09.870 --> 00:08:15.509 and, and that you do this right away. Otherwise, 00:08:16.329 --> 00:08:20.910 we will immediately suspend you from the office 00:08:20.910 --> 00:08:24.389 of the governor. and we will strip from you entirely 00:08:24.389 --> 00:08:29.629 all authority and exercise of that office and 00:08:29.629 --> 00:08:33.950 no less be certain that we shall make of you 00:08:33.950 --> 00:08:37.669 such an example that to those present and to 00:08:37.669 --> 00:08:41.990 all others it shall be a terror and a warning 00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:46.669 given in Barcelona under the secret seal on the 00:08:46.669 --> 00:08:50.029 tenth day of March in the year of our lord 1387. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:56.320 and you can see actually like a little bit of 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.460 the I think I'm trying to figure out if it's 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:05.360 actually Joann who signs these things in in the 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:08.419 actual outgoing letter and that's why we get 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:14.279 the Rex Iohannes at the end here and I think 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:18.340 that the Rex is, like, especially, like, dramatic 00:09:18.340 --> 00:09:22.860 because the scribe had to have had feelings as 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:26.120 he was copying this into the register. I mean, 00:09:26.179 --> 00:09:28.980 as you are just going about, like, all of your, 00:09:28.980 --> 00:09:34.299 like, random letters as a scribe. And then, like, 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:38.879 you come across this one. Oh, he must have showed 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:41.340 it to somebody. He must have been, like... come 00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:43.899 over like to some of the fellow scribes and like 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:47.320 look at how this governor is in major trouble 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:54.539 with the king oh gosh this is an excellent example 00:09:54.539 --> 00:10:00.279 of the kind of tone that just is so full of emotion 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:02.799 and i'm so happy i've come across it because 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:06.039 now i can compare it to the others and i also 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:10.600 know that sometimes joan does let loose Alright, 00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:16.200 I have not yet read Violant's letter, but as 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:19.179 I was going through hers in some of her registers, 00:10:19.659 --> 00:10:24.200 I found that she also decides to write a letter 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:27.840 to this governor. And so we're going to see tomorrow 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:33.720 whether Violant is in the mood to like let loose 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:37.759 and make threats in the way that Joan did. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:43.259 My goodness It really raises some questions here 00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:48.460 like Why why would the governor drag his feet? 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:53.039 If you are assigned the task of confiscating 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:55.759 a property and you've received that assignment 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:59.679 from the king Why would you ignore it if you're 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.980 a governor? Let's just ponder that for a second. 00:11:03.980 --> 00:11:09.980 It seems a little bit hard to figure out why. 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:13.559 I think it might have something to do with how 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:19.279 maybe the governor had for a long time been benefiting 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:23.480 from associations with Bernat de Fortia. Maybe 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:28.100 he had some loyalty to Bernat de Fortia. Maybe 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:33.460 he had a lot of loyalty to Joan's father. and 00:11:33.460 --> 00:11:37.419 is not really in the mood to listen to this new 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:42.120 upstart king. So just the fact that there's a 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:46.159 governor out there dragging his feet, or maybe 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:50.940 even this is an kind of open defiance, just ignoring 00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:55.659 a command from the king, that says a lot. And 00:11:55.659 --> 00:11:58.259 I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is some 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:02.419 kind of signal that Joan's authority is weak, 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:07.360 but I don't know. I mean, you know, it's a little 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:11.639 disturbing when you have to go to these lengths 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:17.500 to like threaten with this level of anger in 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:20.480 a letter in order to have someone confiscate 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:22.720 a property, because it's like when you confiscate 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:25.000 a property, like you can probably like steal 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:27.620 some things while you're doing it. Like if it's 00:12:27.620 --> 00:12:30.440 some nice castle and there's like cool stuff 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:33.159 in there as you're confiscating it, why don't 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:35.279 you just, well, like, take some? I don't know. 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:40.679 Maybe, I don't know, maybe Governor Sancho Martinez 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:46.340 is very upstanding and would never even think 00:12:46.340 --> 00:12:49.240 of how he could take advantage of the situation 00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:52.820 as he's confiscating Bernat de Fortia's properties, 00:12:52.820 --> 00:12:56.799 or maybe he has some, like, long history with 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:01.519 the de Fortias. I don't know, but I would love 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:05.559 to know. If I could just find out what was behind 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:09.220 this reluctance on the part of the governor of 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:13.000 Aragon to carry out this confiscation, I feel 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:17.340 like it would be a great story. But alas, I think, 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:21.340 I don't know, it might be that we don't have 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:25.159 any records except this one of this moment of 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:28.840 defiance. Well... I'm going to see if I can find 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:33.299 out a little bit more information about Sancho 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:37.360 Martinez and connections to the de Fortias, but 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.360 nothing has come up in the research I've done 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:45.360 already on the story of Sibilla de Fortia and 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:51.500 her rapscallion brother Bernat. Alright, thanks 00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:54.159 for listening to this episode of the Historian's 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:58.779 Notebook, Season 1, Molt Cara Companyona. If you 00:13:58.779 --> 00:14:00.940 are leaving with more questions than you arrived 00:14:00.940 --> 00:14:03.899 with, then I've really done my job, because my 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:07.080 whole job today was to really just celebrate 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:11.299 the sheer emotionality of this letter, and then 00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:14.860 to leave you with all these questions. Because 00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:19.930 the motto of the Historian's Notebook is... dissatisfaction 00:14:19.930 --> 00:14:23.110 guaranteed. Visit the website to see an image 00:14:23.110 --> 00:14:25.950 of today's document and additional show notes. 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:29.009 I'll try to dig up some other stuff about Governor 00:14:29.009 --> 00:14:32.470 Sancho Martinez, see what I can find, and listen 00:14:32.470 --> 00:14:35.409 again tomorrow to hear about Violant's letter 00:14:35.409 --> 00:14:38.970 to Sancho Martinez that she wrote on the next 00:14:38.970 --> 00:14:42.549 day in the first year of the reign of King Joan 00:14:42.549 --> 00:14:48.320 I of Aragon and Queen Violant de Bar. In the 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:49.980 meantime, take care.