Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/129

ARAGON. cxi Valencia, which had derived a large portion of its section primitive population, after the conquest, from Ara- '- — gon, preserved the most intimate relations with the parent kingdom, and was constantly at its side during the tempestuous season of the Union. The Catalans were peculiarly jealous of their exclusive privileges, and their civil institutions wore a more democratical aspect than those of any other of the confederated states ; circumstances, w^hich led to important results that fall within the compass of our narrative.^^ The city of Barcelona, which originally gave its Rise and ^ o opulence of name to the county of which it was the capital, Barcelona. was distinguished from a very early period by am- ple municipal privileges.'^" After the union with Aragon in the twelfth century, the monarchs of the latter kingdom extended towards it the same liberal legislation ; so that, by the thirteenth, Barcelona had reached a degree of commercial prosperity rivalling that of any of the Italian republics. She divided with them the lucrative commerce with Alexandria ; and her port, thronged with foreigners (Practica y Estilo, pp. 161-208.) ing Castile. The indifference of An anecdote of Ximenes Cerdan, the Spanish writers, till very re- recorded by Blancas, (Commen- cently, to the constitutional antiqui- tarii, p. 214,) may lead one to ties of the latter kingdom, so much infer, that the places in Valencia, more important than the other which received the laws of Ara- states of the Peninsula, is alto- gon, acknowledged the jurisdic- gether inexplicable, tion of its Justicia. 70 Corbera, Cataluiia Illustrada, 69 Capmany, Practica y Estilo, (Napoles, 1678,) lib. 1, c. 17. — pp. 62-214. — Capmany has col- Petrus de Marca cites a charter of lected copious materials, from a Raymond Berenger, count of Bar- variety of authors, for the parlia- celona, to the city, as ancient as mentary history of Catalonia and 1025, confirming its former privi- Valencia, forming a striking con- leges. See Marca Hispanica, sive trast to the scantiness of informa- Limes Hispanicus, (Parisiis, 1688,) lion he was able to glean respect- Apend. no. 198.