County of Empúries

County of Empúries Comtat d'Empúries(Catalan)
812–1402
Coat of arms
Territorial evolution of the County of Empúries
Capital	Sant Martí d'Empúries,laterCastelló d'Empúries
Common languages	Catalan Latin
Religion	Roman Catholic
Government	County
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Establishment	812
• Annexed into thePrincipality of Catalonia	1402
Preceded by Succeeded by Emirate of Córdoba Principality of Catalonia
Today part of	France Spain ∟Catalonia

Count Hugh IV of Empúries (left) and Lord Pero Maça of Sangarrén during the war against the Moors in Majorca around 1229. The shield above the figures is the coat-of-arms of Empúries.

Location of the County of Empúries within thePrincipality of Catalonia

TheCounty of Empúries(Catalan:Comtat d'Empúries,IPA:[kumˈtaddəmˈpuɾiəs]), also known as theCounty of Ampurias(Spanish:Condado de Ampurias),was a medieval county centred on the town ofEmpúriesand enclosing the Catalan region ofPeralada.It corresponds to the historiccomarcaofEmpordà.

After theFranksconquered the regions in 785, Empúries and Peralada came under the authority of theCounty of Girona.Around 813, Empúries, with Peralada, became a separate county underErmenguer.He and the other early counts were probably ofVisigothicorigin. In 817, Empúries was merged with theCounty of Roussillon,a union which lasted until 989. One of the ninth-century counts of Empúries assembled a fleet powerful enough to conquer theBalearic Islands,but only for a brief time.From 835 to 844,Sunyer Iruled Empúries and Peralada whileAlaric Iruled Roussillon andVallespir.

At the death ofGausfred Iin 989, Roussillon and Empúries were separated. Gausfred's elder sonHugh Ireceived Empúries whileGiselbert Ireceived Roussillon. Hugh's comital dynasty lasted until 1322, when Empúries passed to a collateral branch of his family. The last count,Hugh VI,sold the county toPeter IV of Ribagorzain 1325 in exchange for the barony ofPegoand the towns ofXalóandLaguar,all located within theKingdom of Valencia.Peter later traded it withRamon Berenguer d'Aragonafor the county ofPradesin 1341. From that point on, Empúries was anapanageof theCrown of Aragon.

In a letter of December 1002,Pope Sylvester IIconfirmed the county of Empúries and the "county of Pedralbes" as a part of thediocese of Girona.The latter is probably to be identified with the Peralada region in the north of Empúries. A portion of the "taxes of the port", consisting of dues and anchorage, were passed on to the diocese.

List of counts

• Ermenguer813–817
• Gaucelm817–832 (united to Roussillon)
• Berengar the Wise832–835
• Sunyer I835–841 (united to Roussillon)
• Alaric I841–844
• Sunyer I844–848, again
• William848–850 (united to Roussillon)
• Odalric852–858 (united to Roussillon)
• Humfrid858–862 (united to Roussillon)
• Sunyer II862–915 (united to Roussillon)
• Dela862–894, associated
• Gausbert915–931 (united to Roussillon and Perelada as a county)
• Bencion915–916, associated
• Gausfred I931–989
• Hugh I989/91–1040
• Ponç I1040–1078 (transferred Perelada, as a viscountcy, to his sonBerengar)
• Hugh II1078–1116
• Ponç II1116–1154, also as Ponç Hug I
• Hugh III1154–1173
• Ponç III1173–1200
• Ponç Hug II1173–1175, associated, also known as Ponç Hug d'Entença
• Hugh IV1200–1230
• Ponç IV1230–1269, also as Ponç Hug III
• Hugh V1269–1277
• Ponç V1277–1313, also as Ponç Hug IV (alsoviscount of Bas)
• Ponç VI1313–1322, also as Ponç Hug VMalgauli(also viscount of Bas)
• Marquesa1322–1327
• Hugh VI1322–1325
• Peter I1325–1341
• Raymond Berengar1341–1364
• John I1364–1386, 1387–1398
• Peter II1386–1387, also king of Aragon
• John II1398–1401
• Peter III1401–1402
• Joana I1402
• Martin1042, 1407–1410, also king of Aragon
• Maria de Luna1402–1407

Empúries escheated to the crown between 1410 and 1436. Subsequently the title is mostly honorific.

• Henry I1436–1445
• Henry II1445–1522
• Alfons I1522–1563
• Francesc I1563–1572
• Joana II1572–1608
• Enric III1608–1640
• Lluís1640–1670
• Joaquim1670, died aged 3.
• Pere IV1670–1690
• Caterina1690–1697
• Luis Francisco de la Cerda1697–1711
• Nicolás Fernández de Córdoba-Figueroa de la Cerda1711-1739
• Luis Antonio Fernández de Córdoba-Figueroa y Spinola1739-1768
• Pedro de Alcántara Fernández de Córdoba-Figueroa y de Montcada 1768-1789
• Luis María Fernández de Córdoba y Gonzaga 1789-1806
• Luis Joaquin Fernández de Córdoba y Benavides 1806-1840
• Luis Tomás Fernández de Córdoba y Ponce de León 1840-1873
• Luis María Fernández de Córdoba y Pérez de Barradas 1873-1879
• Luis Jesús María Fernandez de Cordoba y Salabert 1880-1956
• María Victoria Eugenia Fernandez de Cordoba y Fernández de Henestrosa1956-1987
• Ignacio de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba 1987-2006
• Sol María de La Blanca de Medina Orléans Bragança 2006–

References

• Lattin, Harriet Pratt (ed.)The Letters of Gerbert, with his Papal Privileges as Sylvester II.Columbia University Press, 1961.
• Lewis, A. R.,and Runyan, Timothy J.European Naval and Maritime History, 300–1500.Indiana University Press, 1985.
• Lewis, A. R.The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050.University of Texas Press, 1965.
• Riera Fortiana, Enrique."Etapa barcelonesa del condado de Ampurias (1409–1456)"Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Empordanesos11(1976), 260–85.