The Historian's Notebook

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant wrote to an official who oversaw governance in Girona to clarify that the jurisdiction is Joan's but the revenues are hers. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e157-may30 Today's Document: Subject: judicial and financial administration of the towns and al...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant sent out more letters in an effort to get more medical and magical resources to help Joan. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e156-may29 Today's Document: Subject: obtaining magical texts and recruiting medical personnel for Joan Date: May 29, 1387 Day o...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, a letter in Joan's name to the authorities in the province of Aragon castigated them for allowing feuding bandos to despoil the region around Jaca. Today's episode also includes a document reunion: the outgoing copy and the archival copy of the letter are reunited today after six centuries of separation. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jo...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant updated the ambassadors in Avignon about a recent relapse that Joan suffered, causing him to not be able to sleep for five or six days. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e154-may27 Today's Document: Subject: Joan’s health has suffered another ‘accident’...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan's treasurer has caught the town of Monistrol de Montserrat hiding revenues from royal authorities for a period of 20 years. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e153-may26 Today's Document: Subject: the towm leaders must face the consequence of cheating the r...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant attempted to obtain the Cigonina , a book of magical counter-spells, presumably to help Joan recover from his illness. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e152-may25 Today's Document: Subject: seeking a book of counter-spells written by a Valencian bishop...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant informed the aljamas of Teruel that they will need to pay an extra tax. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e151-may25 Today's Document: Subject: financing the state in an interfaith context Date: May 24, 1387 Day of the Week: Friday Language: Aragonese/C...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant exchanged pleasantries with her daughter's future groom, Louis II of Anjou, and his mother, Marie de Blois. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e150-may23 Today's Document: Subject: another avenue of influence in the marriage negotiation process Date: May...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan ordered a merchant in Zaragoza to pay money to Johan de Muntros, citing an authorization from the Pope on February 23rd. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e149-may22 Today's Document: Subject: addressing a lack of compliance with the new tax collection in...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan wrote to the Bishop of Elne to release a prisoner who Joan says is one of his domestics, in the service of the Crown of Aragon. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e148-may21 Today's Document: Subject: claim that Guillem Ribes was imprisoned wrongfully Date:...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant sent out letters to 39 localities to let them know her alguatzir is coming to collect funds from them. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e147-may20 Today's Document: Subject: taxation procedures, possibly for an extra levy of funds for the royal treasur...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan exchanged falcons and hunting dogs with the head of the Knights Hospitallers, Juan Fernández de Heredia. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e146-may19 Today's Document: Subject: saker falcons and hunting dogs from Turkey Date: May 19, 1387 Day of the Week:...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan instructed his chamberlain to purchase at least five hunting dogs from Savoy. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e145-may18 Today's Document: Subject: procurement of hunting dogs from Savoy Date: May 18, 1387 Day of the Week: Saturday Language: Catalan Arch...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan told his procurator in Mallorca to continue purchasing falcons and hunting birds from India. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e144-may17 Today's Document: Subject: shopping for falcons in Mallorca Date: May 17, 1387 Day of the Week: Friday Language: Catal...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant provided cover letters for her Avignon Ambassadors for when they tell the Pope and the Master of Rhodes about the involvement of evil magic in Joan's recent illness. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e143-may16 Today's Document: Subject: authorization f...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant shared with her ambassadors in Avignon her conclusion that Joan's illness resulted from evil curses and sorcery. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e142-may15 Today's Document: Subject: a review of Joan’s near death illness on April 28th and suspicions o...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan ordered the bailiff of Lleida to help resolve a financial dispute for one of Violant's house troubadours. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e141-may14 Today's Document: Subject: a Jewish troubadour’s financial dispute with a member of the Jewish aljama in...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant sent supplies to the mercenary leaders who decided to go around the Crown of Aragon on their way to Castile. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e140-may13 Today's Document: Subject: possible payoff to mercenaries under the façade of polite gift-giving Da...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan expanded Johan de Muntros's previous financial arrangements to include all sorts of financial instruments. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e139-may12 Today's Document: Subject: authorization for a wide variety of loan instruments, such as mogubells Date:...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan laid out the terms for large loans coming to the monarchy from prominent merchant named Pere de Muntros. (After recording this podcast I realized that I had mis-transcribed the last name of the merchant, Pere de Muntros. I erroneously ignored the macron and the clearly shaped letter 'r' coming after the 'c' or 't.') Read more about this document on the e...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan granted Johan de Murcos the right to collect tithe payments from churches to the state. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e137-may10 Today's Document: Subject: as a consequence of the Pope’s recent bull, an authorization to collect taxes from churches Date...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant stated her astonishment at the weakness of a knight's job performance and asked him if he has time to do the job she commissioned for him. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e136-may9 Today's Document: Subject: expression of displeasure at the poor job p...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, an order under Joan's name went out to the officials of Perpignan and the surrounding region to transfer the pirate Bartolomeo Perich to Barcelona to face justice. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e135-may8 Today's Document: Subject: prisoner transport from Pe...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Violant sent a second order to appear in court to a husband whose wife, named Regina, filed a complaint against him for violating their marriage. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e134-may7 Today's Document: Subject: legal complaint filed by a woman named Regin...

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan ordered the officials of Roussillon and Cerdagne to restore the flow of revenue to Violant’s chief notary Bartolomeo Sirvent from properties in his name. Read more about this document on the episode page on Jonathan's website, https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e133-may6 Today's Document: Subject: restoring the income to Bartolo...