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Chronicle of Pere III of Catalonia The Chronicle of King Pere III of Catalonia-Aragon (1336-1387) was written as if to be by Pere himself, although it is more likely that he acted more like a supervisor over a team of writers. His reign was filled with various conflicts, including wars against Genoa, Castile and Majorca. This work often gives day-to-day accounts of the various campaigns Pere undertook, and provides a great deal of detail about warfare in medieval Spain. The section given below comes from chapter three of this work and deals with Pere's conquest of the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne, which are found along the border of Catalonia and France, in 1343-44. The section begins on chapter 102, dated to May 14, 1344, as Pere organizes his forces for attacks on the cities of Argilers and Colllioure. There are two renditions of this chronicle. Portions of the text which are only found in the first redaction are enclosed in parentheses, while materials only found in the second redaction are italicized.
102. The same Friday, the fourteenth day of May, We left Figueras and ordered
everyone to come to La Jonquera. Most (men) came armed. We slept in Our
tents at La Jonquera and waited, that night and the next day until Terce, for
Our men-at-arms 103. On Saturday, the fifteenth day of May, We arranged Our battle order,
with the Princes En Pere and En Jacme, the nobles En Ramon, viscount of Canet,
Mossen Guillem de Bellera and Mossen Berenguer de Ribelles, in the van. We, with
the nobles N'Uguet, viscount of Cardona, En Ramon Roger de Pallars, En Felip de
Castre, who was the standard-bearer, Mossen Pere de Mitncuda, admiral,
Mossen Pere de Fenollet, viscount of Illa, and En Bertran, his brother, En Roger
Bernat de Pallars, N'Uguet de Pallars, Mossen Gilabert de Centelles, Pere de
Queralt, En Pere Galceran de Pinos. En Ramon de Cardona, Mossen Galceran de
Bellpuig, En Guerau de Cervello, Mossen N'Artal de Fosses, En Guillem Galceran
de Cabrenq were (in the second battle order), and others went in the
rearguard. 104. Behind there came all the pack mules, escorted by almogavers of
Valencia. We crossed the Pass of Panicars, where We met with no opposition,
except that, to the right of Clusa, some people from that place wanted to attack
Our pack mules, which were between the centre and the rearguard. But Our footmen
advanced towards them so that they fled and therefore did no harm. And Mossen
Ramon d'Anglesola (in the rearguard) went last, to guard Our people from hurt.
We went to sleep by the river Tech, near to Volo, that is, between Sent Johan de
Corts and to Volo. 105. On Sunday, the sixteenth day of May, We set out from near Volo with the
force in battle order in the manner already described, except that with Our
hosts We went to the part above the river Tech, ravaging and burning. And
We sent out Mossen N’Uguet, viscount of Cardona, and En Pere de Queralt with
(100) horsemen. 106. On Wednesday, the nineteenth day of May, We remained in the same
place and ordered that all men should take provisions for four days. 107. On Thursday, the twentieth of May, We set out with Our
forces in battle order in the manner described, except that We made the pack
mules go on the left, and We turned towards the market gardens of Elne, near the
river Tech, and there rested. Lower down towards the sea We sent En Pere de
Queralt to the tower of the bishop of Elne, which is near the city, and he took
it and garrisoned it with a company. 108. On Friday, the twenty-first of May, We came (with the forces in battle order as afore mentioned) to the gardens of Argilers and We camped in the lower part towards the sea and had the place blockaded, and had provisions brought here and the ships that We had at Canet and at Port Vendres. And the men of Totzo came to Us here and surrendered themselves and did Us homage. Before leaving Figueras We had arranged with En
Dalmau de Totzo, vicar of Gerona, that he should come to Collioure with the
hosts of his district, while We were making Our way to Perpignan. So it
happened; on the previous Thursday he went to Collioure and after some fighting
with those of the town he had a siege tower made and watched over the town. 109. On Saturday, the twenty-second of May. We ordered Argilers to be
besieged. Beginning our siege, We took on the part of the town facing
Elne, up to another tower, called Pujol, which belongs to the abbot of Fontfroid.
We placed Prince En Pere towards the strand and Prince En Jacme on the side of
the mountain and the admiral, Mossen Pere de Muncada, in the section on Our left
between Pujol and Argilers, and En Guerau de Cervelld after him, and Mossen
N'Uch, viscount of Cardona, and Mossen Pere de Fenollet on the right, and En
Pere Galceran de Pinos behind them, and En Pere de Queralt in the mountain. 110. On Sunday, the twenty-third of May, the day of Quinquagesima
[Pentecost], a large number of Our ships arrived with the food and siege
instruments as mentioned above. And We had one of the engines brought and that
same day We had it set up and prepared to fire, in the square in front of the
town. 111. On Monday, the twenty-fourth of May, the engine was assembled and all
that day it fired on the town of Argilers, where it did much damage. 112. On Tuesday We had a mangonel with two drums from Barcelona set up near
the engine that fired on the town. 113. On Wednesday We had another engine from Valencia mounted which was
rather larger. It was near Us and Prince En Pere and did great hurt to the town. 114. On Thursday those of the town mounted an engine that fired at Our
engines. Our engineers fired in that direction. Those of the town had put too
much counterweight on their engine so that the stone they were firing went
straight up [in the air] and fell back on the engine and broke it. 115. On Friday there came to Us Don Pedro d'Exerica and En Nicolau Carrot and Mossen Johan Ferrandez de Luna, and some knights and sons of knights of Our household, in all 250 horsemen between heavy armed horse and light cavalry. We made them besiege the side of the town toward Collioure where until now there had been no one. 116. On Saturday, the twenty-ninth of May, after Mass, We called together
into Our tent the Princes En Pere and En Jacme and other nobles and knights,
that is to say, Don Pedro d'Exerica, Mossen N'Uch, viscount of Cardona, En Ramon
Roger, count of Pallars, Mossen Pere de Fenollet, viscount of Illa, En Pere,
viscount of Vilamur, Mossen Ramon d'Anglesola and En Felip de Castre, En Roger
de Pallars, Mossen Pere de Muncada, admiral, Mossen Johan Ferrandez de Luna, En
Gilabert de Cruilles, lord of Bestraca, En Pere Galceran de Pinbs, Mossen
Guilabert de Centelles, En Guerau de Cervello, En Ponq de Santa Pau, Mossen
Jacmc d'Arago, En Bcrtran do Fenollet, N'Uch de Fenollet, doctor of laws, who
later was Our chancellor and bishop of Valencia, En Galceran de Bellpuig,
N'Artal de Cabrera, Mossen Francesch de Cervil, En Guillem Galceran de Cabrenc,
Mossen Guillem de Bellera, Mossen Berenguer de Ribelles, N'Asmar de Mosset, En
Pere Dalmau, Mossen Ramon de Copons, En Ramon de Monpao, Mossen Ramon de
Senesterra, Mossen Garcia de Lori, Mossen Felip de Boyl, Mossen Rodrigo Diez,
doctor of laws, Mossen Ramon de Totzo, Berenguer de Rocasalva, Mossen Dalmau
Totzo. Mossen Berenguer de Monbuy, En Ramon de Castellauli, En Guillem de
Cornella, Mossen Ferrer de Vilafranca, and some others. And We proposed to them
(that We wished to send a company to ravage the land of Roussillon and [at the
same time] to combat) that they advise Us whether to wild a company to ravage
the land of Roussillon or first attack Argilers, and would each give his
opinion as We wished to do nothing without their counsel. And each gave his
opinion in order. In the end it was agreed that on Monday We would attack the
town and afterwards send companies to destroy the countryside, Meanwhile We
would have the mantelets and the gates and bancs petjats [a
covering to protect siege engines] and other weapons of war brought up from the
sea, and set up the largest engine from Barcelona to attack the house of En
Amoros, of the town of Argilers, which was outside the walls and was garrisoned
and prepared for war; it would already be a little shaken. 117. On Sunday, the thirtieth of May, We made the engines continue to fire
and sent a foot company to destroy the land round the house of Pujols and they
attacked the house for a tine and then retired. Meanwhile We had the engine
of Barcelona mounted before the admiral's [tent] to fire on the house of En
Amoros. 118. On Monday, the thirty-first of May, the engines were at work and the
preparations for battle were continued, and We ordered the admiral to make a
wooden castle with which to attack the town of Argilers. All that day the
largest engine of Barcelona fired on the house of En Amoros but it did not
seriously damage it until the evening. 119. On Tuesday, the first day of June in the said year (1343) 1344,
the largest engine of Barcelona fired on the house of En Amoros and did damage
with some stones which shook it badly and killed the man who was the captain.
This disconcerted and terrified the garrison so that towards evening they
abandoned the house, and four or five persons slipped away [from the others] and
came to Our host. And [Our] people at once went into the house and climbed up to
plant their banners and had some fighting with the people of the town. And they
fought so hard for a time that the general opinion was that, if it had not been
evening, in the heat of the fray Our people would have entered the town 120. On Wednesday, the second of June, in the morning there came to Us while We were in bed, En Miquel de Gurrea, Our court officer, and woke Us and said, "Lord, I have brought good news, the town wishes to surrender to you." And We were very pleased. That day those of the town proposed many pacts, and
then the captain who was a Lombard, that is, Joffre d'Estendart, and some
Genoese who were in the garrison, would not agree and therefore nothing was
accomplished, which filled Us with shame. In the evening they finally offered Us
fifteen persons of the town as hostages, to be given at sunrise on the morrow,
that is to say, five chief citizens, five of the middle class and five of the
lower classes, with the condition that they would send a message to En Jacme of
Majorca and if, up to any time on the following Saturday, help had come, so that
We were obliged to raise the siege, We should return them the said persons
[hostages]. If not they would surrender the town to Us at once, and, if they did
not do so, We could do what We wished with the fifteen (five) persons. On
this subject We deliberated with the Princes En Pere and En Jacme, and with the
admiral and N'Uguet, viscount of Cardona, and with En Pere de Fenollet and En
Ramon d'Anglesola, En Roger Bernat de Pallars, En Galceran de Bellpuig, En
Bertran de Fenollet, En Johan Ferrandez de Luna, En Felip de Castre, En Guillem
de Bellera and others. At last We agreed to their request. Meanwhile We stopped
the engines from firing and they were [bound] not to work [to repair] the wall. 121. On Thursday, the third day of June, the feast of Corpus Christi. We waited for the hostages to arrive and We listened to Our sermon. Afterwards We waited; seeing they did not come, We wished to sit down and dine. At this point four leading citizens of the town appeared, brought by the admiral and the court officers and by En Miquel Amarell and En Bernat Vallet and others; they came before Us. It was repeated to them what had been arranged, and they altered the arrangement, for they said that if En Jacme of Majorca did not come to assist them that they could defend themselves, and things which could not be accepted. We were angered and the Prince En Pere told them, “You mean to trap the lord king but you will not succeed. Go away for the lord king tells you, that if, by the hour of Vespers, you are not here with the hostages, to promise and fulfil the pact, he will at once know what to do, and as lord and prince will condemn you, as disloyal men, false and traitors and bares, to lose your heads and your goods, without any mercy.” At the hour of Vespers the said citizens came before
Us bringing twelve persons as hostages. They presented Us with the following
articles which they begged Us to consent to and sign. 122. These are the articles and covenants agreed between the lord king and
the men of the municipality of Argilers. They were in the following form: Firstly, that the municipality of Argilers asks and wishes for time until Sunday to surrender themselves and the place to the lord king. And, meanwhile, they ask to be allowed to send to the High En Jacme of Majorca, to whom they are sending four (men) leading citizens from this place, to ask him to assist them in a powerful manner so that the siege of the lord king should be raised and they and the place delivered from the danger in which they are. If this is not achieved by Sunday morning, they will be obliged to surrender and the place will be in the peaceful possession of the lord king. As security they give as hostages to the lord king twelve (citizens) persons of this place, whose names follow: Guillem Roig Truler. Bernat Carbo, Jacme Borrau, Johan Paytavi, Jacme Fabresa, Jacme Ntiquel, Johan Flors, Guillem Amigo, Bernat Miquel Belet, Johan Biatriu, Arnau Bonadona, and Guillem Tesa. These men agree that if the municipality does not complete the things mentioned above the lord king can do justice on them according to his pleasure. Item, that the lord king should swear, before he enters the said place, that their freedoms and their privileges and their liberties will be respected. Item, that the lord kind and the lord princes and the admiral and the court officers of the said lord swear that if En Jacme of Majorca, during this time, raises the siege that the twelve men or citizens shall at once be free and be taken to Argilers safe and sound. Item, that during this time the lord king should make the engines cease firing and stop all other attacks and damage that he could inflict on them and they similarly will stop doing siege works and other warlike preparations in the place. The lord king will proclaim by a crier that no man, mounted or on foot, shall approach within a stone's throw of the fortress during this time, nor annoy or injure anyone by deed or word.
The covenants were at once signed by Us and sworn to by the citizens. We
kept the hostages and the other citizens returned to the town and sent to En
Jacme of Majorca, as has been said. That night, at the hour of nightfall, as Our
guards were being set, Berenguer de Rocacorba, squire, arrived with fifty foot
soldiers, sent by En Jacme of Majorca from the direction of Collioure. He was to
be captain of that city together with En Joffre d'Estendart; he mixed with Our
people, not knowing them. At the
hour of midnight, when he tried to enter the town, Our almogavers who
were on guard took him and We kept him prisoner, with some letters he brought
from En Jacme of Majorca. 123. On Friday, the fourth of June, We kept guard parties day and night, on
the watch, so that no man could enter the town of Argilers nor any succour. In
the meantime there was great division in the town between the captain and
various men of the town. And Our admiral gave them 50 measures of water, of
which they had great need as well as of other things. 124. On Saturday, the fifth of June, besides keeping a careful watch day and
night We gave permission to the admiral to introduce three cartloads of bread.
That night those of the town tried to take the captain and some men of the town
prisoner, but they did not succeed; besides this the captain did all he could to
upset the pact they had made with Us. 125. On Sunday, the sixth of June, in the morning, at sunrise, the admiral
entered the town with his company and raised Our banners and his in the towers
and took the captain and the garrison prisoner. Soon afterwards En Felip de
Castre with his company put Our standard on the highest point of the tower of
the church. And many of Our people entered [the town]. And the consuls and
leading citizens came to Our tent and did Us homage and swore fealty. We
confirmed their privileges and freedoms and pardoned them the rebellion and all
they had done against Us. As by now it was midday and the hour to dine We
decided to wait until after dinner before entering the town. We knighted En
Jacme d'Arago, a bastard son of the Lord King En Jacme, Our grandfather.
That day We at once ordered the largest engine to be brought nearer to
the house of Pujol to attack it. After We had slept, with the Prince En Jacme
and other nobles and many people, We went to Argilers; only a few entered with
Us, as We had had the gate shut, so that everyone should not enter. And all the
townspeople kissed Our hands. Then We went to do reverence to Our Lady St. Mary.
There [in the church] Our throne had been set up and We said some good words in
general on Our right and on the injuries, felonies and rebellions that En Jacme
of Majorca had perpetrated against Us. We named five in particular: how he had
refused Us the fief, how he had made the wooden bridge, how he had fought with
Us in the field, how he had done all in his power to ally himself against Us
with various princes and communes, and how he had coined money and [We
mentioned] other things in general. We then received the homage of the men of
the town to the number of 150. After
this We forgave them all the fault they had committed through their rebellion
and other matters. And We told them We were very displeased with the hurt they
had suffered and that We would give them many benefits and favours so that they
would know the sweetness of Our rule. We left them Friar Guillem de Guimera as
captain, whom they must obey as they would Us. After this We left the place and
inspected the town and the fortress, which is very large and well defended, and
returned to Our tents to sup and made Bernat Val let officer. He is a very good
man at arms and did Us much service in Majorca and on this expedition to
Roussillon. All that day We spent with the greatest joy and had preparations
made to attack the house of Pujol with the siege engines. 126. On Monday, the seventh of June, the largest engine from Barcelona
started to fire at the house of Pujol and breached and damaged the wall and the
tower of Celoquia. We sent the Prince En Pere with horsemen and foot soldiers to
Collioure to cut off and inspect the town and the fortress. Some armed people
came out of the town and had a melee with Our men on foot, who forced them into
the town and captured two barricades and killed three men. 127. On Tuesday, the eighth of June, We continued to attack the house of
Pujol with the said engine and with another of two drums and made a great hole
in the wall on the side towards Argilers. We also had a hoist prepared and much
wood and branches to attack with battering rams and other instruments. The other
engines were reembarked on board ship. 128. On Wednesday, the ninth day of June, the captain of the tower of Pujol
sent for Mossen Guillem de Bellera, as some of the garrison were endebted [or
related] to him and to Mossen Guillem de Perves, his knight. Mossen Guillem de
Bellera went there and, together with the admiral, who was already there, and
with Mossen Ramon de Boyl, spoke with him [the captain], and had a long
discussion, and the engines ceased to fire. Finally it was agreed to surrender
the fortress with articles that were similar to those of Argilers, already
given. And We agreed to the articles of capitulation and confirmed them all. 129. On Thursday, the tenth of June, We prepared to leave Argilers, and
ordered the hosts to prepare enough provisions for four days and had all the
wooden scaffoldings reembarked. 130. On Friday, after the hour of Vespers, We sent the admiral [and] Friar
Guillem de Guimera, captain of Argilers, with others, to the fortress of Pujol,
and the captain came out with all the garrison and the clothes and arms they
could take. At the same time Our people removed monks who were there, from the
monastery of Fontfroid, and placed Our banner on the tower and Friar Guillem de
Guimera took possession of the place, and the garrison departed. 131. On Saturday We remained here to garrison Argilers and Pujol with a
company of horse and of foot, which We left to Friar Guillem de Guimera. We
ordered that all men should supply themselves with provisions. 132. On Sunday, the thirteenth of June, after dinner, with the forces in
battle order as already described, We came to Collioure and besieged the town.
We were on the foothill above the town towards the mountain and Prince En Jacme
with his household to the left towards the sea; (and Don Pedro d'Exerica to the
right of the Prince En Pere) and the Prince En Pere on Our right towards
Port Vendres, and the viscount of Cardona below, in the plain between Us and
Prince En Pere, and the admiral on the edge of the sea, towards Port Vendres,
with En Ramon Roger. 133. On Monday, the fourteenth of June, We had the engines prepared and We
sent to Barcelona and the county of Ampurias for foot soldiers to attack the
suburbs of Collioure. On Tuesday, 15 June, We continued Our preparation of the
engines and of the weapons of attack and had the mediumsized engine from
Barcelona assembled in the hills above Collioure towards Argilers in front of
the gallows and it attacked the tower of Puig Musart. 134. On Wednesday, the sixteenth of June, We had another engine from Valencia
mounted in the hills that are towards Port Vendres to attack the tower which is
on a hill above the church of the Preachers of Collioure.
The engine was behind [the hill], so that nothing of it could be seen. 135. On Thursday We had the largest engine from Barcelona mounted in front of
Us, in a hollow, to attack the town, and sent Don Pedro d'Exerica with 300
horsemen and 2000 foot to take the place of Sant Johan for Us.
And they went and returned, burning and destroying, and received homage
from the men of that place. 136. On Friday, the eighteenth of June, the Cardinal d'Ambru, called Bertran, of the title of St. Mark, cardinal presbyter, came to Us at the siege of Collioure from Argilers, where he had spent the night. The Princes En Pere and En Jacme went out ahead of Us [to meet him]. We came later, as soon as We were dressed, leaving in each part of Our siege a garrison of troops and of armed knights. We rode with some barons and knights, not many in number, and went towards Argilers to greet the cardinal. And We took him to a wooden house near Our tent and stayed there. The princes and all the barons and knights and notable persons mentioned above and all those of Our council were present. The cardinal delivered his message before Us and all the others, on behalf of the Holy Apostolic Father, and said many words, all of which he based on peace, and that We should incline towards peace with En Jacme of Majorca. And he quoted the history of Abraham and that of Sodom and Gomorrah and the history of Jacob and Esau and of Arap and many other histories from the Bible and other authorities, and he said everything in Latin. When he had spoken at great length and had concluded, We replied briefly, that We were glad to have him with Us and happy and joyful at his coming, as a cardinal and a special friend of Ours, but [his coming] as legate and messenger of the Holy Father, sent by him for the affairs of which he had spoken, displeased Us and not without reason. But We understood well the good intentions of the Holy Father and the cardinal, and their zeal for concord and peace, and truly We were here seeking nothing other than peace. It was much better that We and Our people should have to toil and work at this time in order to achieve a lasting peace. Besides, for the burden that God had given Us of kingdoms and lands, We would spend all Our life, if this was the only way to leave peace to Our subjects and to those who would follow Us. Therefore We were pursuing Our right and [vindicating] the disinheritance [We had undergone] and We would not cease to do so. Nor had En Jacme of Majorca - who with great pride desired to take from Us and dispossess Us of Our right ever humbled himself or searched for peace. Rather he went on with his rebellion every day. But We would speak of these matters whenever he wished, and to what he said We would make him a fuller answer. And the cardinal seemed fairly content with Our answer and spoke no more of this. Then We left the wooden house where he was and went to Our tent, where at once We were told, “Lord, look at our people who are attacking the tower of Conomina, above Collioure, in front of [the town], and near the wall on the side where we are. Our people are already in the ditch and those of the tower are not firing and are lost.” And some of the barons and knights who were there
said it was not worth while to attack any more as the tower was very fine and
strong. Others declared that the
tower was already Ours. Finally We sent word that they should continue to attack
and made them bring ladders and picks and other things as swiftly as they could.
At last they attacked the tower with shield and lance so fiercely and so closely
that the barbican and the tower tottered and were set on fire and a great smoke
came out of the top. And those of the tower all cried for mercy and made
a signal of surrender. We sent orders not to take prisoners. Three slipped down
through the arrowslits and were killed. The others who stayed above and had
fought a great deal, gave themselves up and Mossen N'Artal de Fosses, who was
fighting there, granted them mercy, and seven came out alive and were taken
prisoner. Thus the tower was taken
at the hour of Vespers, and We put in a garrison. Those of the town of Collioure
at once started to sack the suburbs. 137. The cardinal was there that day, and his company watched the attack on
the tower and marvelled at it. He returned to sleep at Elne the same day 138. Saturday, the nineteenth day of June, and the following Sunday, We made
them continue to fire the engines and prepared to attack the suburbs with shield
and lance. Those of the town fired at the tower they had lost with a great
engine and with a catapult and were so dismayed that during that day they did
not come out to skirmish anywhere. 139. Monday, the twenty-first of June, the company on the side of Port Vendres, where Mossen Nicholau Carroc and the admiral were, after dinner, without Our command or consent and without any weapons of war, started to attack the tower above the Preachers’ church. Little by little, many companies assembled there; and, especially men of standing, fully armed, who dismounted and attacked the tower so fiercely that they threw down the barbican. And then they began to close in on the tower. There were twenty-nine men there, most of them Genoese. And in the fight they were so wounded in the hands and the face that they felt they were lost and made a signal of surrender. And still they were attacked for a space. Finally En Nicholau Carroc, on Our behalf, took them prisoner, granting them mercy, life and limbs. Our banners were at once hoisted there. It was already the hour of Vespers. Then an impulse ran through the company to go to the town and they went down to the town and started to attack the Preachers' church. When We heard of this We were angry as it was too late and We wished to stop it. And Mossen N’Amar de Mosset said that We should leave them alone, that it was an act of God and He would accomplish it. And they fought so fiercely that those of the town soon gave way and Our men climbed up from height to height to the wooden defences of the wall, throwing the defenders down. Some of Our men penetrated by the upper part [of the town] and the greater part from the side by the sea, where there was a palisade. Finally the suburb of the Preachers was entered, sword in hand, with very fierce fighting. When they forced their way in nearly the whole host, horse and foot, were armed; those of the town fled on horse and foot. They took refuge in the fortress of the town, which is very large. Our people were so eager to sack and rob the houses that they did not pursue them, for, in that day and hour, fighting with them they would have entered along with them. So that day they did not trouble to do anything but loot and rob the suburb. And those of the town were so terrified and were sure they would all be killed and gave themselves up for lost including Mossen Pere Ramon de Codolet, who was the captain. He did nothing to help, so terrified was he. All night Our people robbed and sacked that district and found a great deal of wine and many barrels. We put Don Pedro d'Exerica in charge of that district.
This section comes from pages 319-37 of Pere III of Catalonia: Chronicle, translated by Mary Hillgarth (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, © 1980. Reprinted here with their permission. For further information about the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies and its publications, click here: www.pims.ca |