County of Besalú: Map & History
The County of Besalú was one of the landlocked medieval Catalan counties near the Mediterranean coastline.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The County of Besalú was one of the landlocked medieval Catalan counties near the Mediterranean coastline. It was roughly coterminous with the modern comarca of Garrotxa and at various times extended as far north as Corbières, Aude, now in France. Its capital was the village of Besalú. Throughout most of its history it was attached to one of the other more powerful counties, but it experienced a century of independence before it was finally and irrevocably annexed to the County of Barcelona.
County of Besalú in Depth
9th century: origins and development
Besalú was reconquered from the Moors by 785. It was originally a pagus of the County of Girona in the Marca Hispanica. The original pagus comprised the territories of Garrotxa and those neighbouring Montgrony and Setcases in the comarca of Ripollès as far as Agullana and Figueres (in Alt Empordà) and Banyoles in Pla de l'Estany.
In the Ordinatio Imperii of 817, Louis the Pious made it a part of Aquitaine and ruled it directly along with the other maritime counties of the Marca: Roussillon, Girona, Barcelona, and Empúries. Besalú, along with Barcelona and Girona were placed under Count Bera, a Visigoth. Under Louis the Pious Gothia saw a reinvigorated monasticism spread first in Pallars and then eastward into Roussillon, Empúries, and Besalú.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: County of Besalú (CC BY-SA 4.0).
County of Besalú: Key Facts
| Capital | Besalú |
|---|---|
| Founded | 988 CE |
| Dissolved | 1111 |
Preceded by
- Spanish march
Succeeded by
- Principality of Catalonia
- Duchy of Girona
Facts from Wikidata Q1541642 (CC0).
County of Besalú Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which County of Besalú appears, with the other states of the time.
County of Besalú Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 6,361 km² in 965 CE.
County of Besalú: Frequently Asked Questions
When did County of Besalú exist?
County of Besalú is dated to 898 CE – 989 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of County of Besalú?
The capital of County of Besalú was Besalú.
How large was County of Besalú at its peak?
At its peak in 965 AD County of Besalú covered about 6,361 km².
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