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Bull of Adrià IV addressed to the bishop of Urgell [Bernat Sanç] recommending peace and harmony with the count of Urgell [Ermengol III], who had repented of his faults, and that, with the due sureties in the hands of the bishop of Narbonne, lift the count’s excommunication and appear before the count of Barcelona [Ramon Berenguer I].

Date
1154
Archive
Library of Catalonia
Document type
Textual
Reference code
CAT XXX BARCELONA, BIBLIOTECA DE CATALUNYA, Perg. 264, Reg. 2207
Link to the online document
Description

This papal bull of 1154, addressed to the bishop of Urgell, recommends reconciliation with the count of Urgell, Ermengol III, and the lifting of his excommunication. The document reflects the complex relationship between ecclesiastical power and county power in medieval Catalonia, as well as the influence of the Holy See in local political affairs. It also shows the importance of the Catalan bishoprics as diplomatic and spiritual agents. Preserved in the Biblioteca de Catalunya, this bulla is a valuable witness to the documentary heritage of papal origin in Catalonia and shows how the Catalan territory actively participated in the power and communication networks of medieval Europe.