Ordenation and Ceremonial of the Coronation of the Monarchs of Aragón.

14th CENTURY

Original currently in the Library of the Foundation Bartolomé March.

SOLD OUT EDITION

In 1344 Peter IV of Aragon, III of Barcelona , II of Valencia , I of Majorca ,who was on the throne from 1338 to 1397 , ordered the Ordenaciones de su Casa y Corte to be written , following the model of the Palatine Lawsof James III of Majorca.


Completed in Valencia , the manuscript which covered the Ordinations and Ceremonial more than satisfied the king´s aims and three copies of the same were made in the vernacular tongue to be sent to ZARAGOZA; BARCELONA and VALENCIA, affirming the role of the crown in the creation of a modern state.
This was one of the richest in Europe and a reference for other monarchies.


The codex starts with the Ordination of the Royal Household, which are structured on the base of the four main professions in the same : Mayordomo, Camarlengo, Canciller and Maestre racional(Head of staff, chamberlaind, kepper of the royal seal treasurer).


They included the tiniest details of the private life of the King and his household and court, as well as the court protocol. The introduction to the ceremonial is written in Romance.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WORKS

The facimile volume found in the library archives of the Bartolomé March Foundation consists of 116 folios of parchment , written on both sides and, sizes of 36.8 x26.8cm. It is completed with a volume of the same size bound in half leather , which contains :

  • The Phillips manuscript
    • Raison d´etre of the manuscript
    • History of the Phillips manuscript
  • The text:The Ordinations of the Royal Household and the Consecration of the Monarchs.
  • The King´s household and court
  • Consecration and Coronation of the King and Queen. III Translation of the text into Castilian Spanish.

Author

Professor Dr.Bonifacio Palacios Martin , degree in Medieval History at the University of Zaragoza in 1967. Doctorate at Madrid Autonomous University in 1973 .

Senior Lecturer at Zaragoza University since 1988 Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at Madrid´s Alcala de Henares University.