Presentation Plan

Innocent III and the Crown of Aragon: The Limits of Papal Authority, by Damian J. Smith (2017)

Shipping, Trade and Crusade in the Medieval Mediterranean: Studies in Honour of John Pryor, edited
by Ruthy Gertwagen (2016)

Communities of violence: persecution of minorities in the Middle Ages, by David Nirenberg (1996)

- Look into heresy – does he mention it

Jenkins, Ernest E.. The Mediterranean World of Alfonso II and Peter II of Aragon (1162-1213). The
New Middle Ages. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Pp. xiv, 263. ISBN: 978-0-230-10714-4.

- Get the review done in time – unconcerned about deadline

- What is the larger orbit of their world? What is their horizon?
o Look for British historian about where horizon is – mental world/cultural world – the
view from some place
- Where are loyalties – Normans do the same thing, fight against and FOR the Papacy
- City of Barcelona in 1313 microhistory – learning about port and ships (year of famine)
- Jews vs Cathars as minorities
o Interesting thought – R I Moore Persecuting Society - what does it mean to be a
minority, to what degree can we use any of these paradigms of protection and
liminality of minorities with Cathars – do they help?
 New book says no such thing as Cathars
- Crown of Aragon archives could be online
- Was Albi Crusade against those against the French land – does the definition of who they are
change what they do
- Who are the new people writing about this question? Besides R I Moore

Things to look into

- Gender and sexuality in chapter 5 on marriage

- Bring focus continually back to travel and communication
- Part of a peer-reviewed series – mainstream?
o The New Middle Ages is a series dedicated to pluri-disciplinary studies of medieval
cultures, with particular emphasis on recuperating women’s history and on feminist
and gender analyses.” Before the prefatory material
- Solitary mention of Braudel despite geographical overlap
 - Moving on from Law, order, and violence in the Mediterranean world of
Pedro II of Aragon (1196–1213)
- Also looked at: ‘The Interplay of Financial and Political Conflicts Connected
to Toulouse during the Late Twelfth and Early Thirteenth Centuries’
- What can Damian Smith’s recent work add to this?

Background

As we normally like to not go a week without mentioning Barton’s Contested Treasures, Barton
actually uses Jenkins’s analysis to show how many of the trends initiated by the monarchs were
deliberate and profitable for the monarchy

REWORD The Crown of Aragon originated in 1137, when the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of
Barcelona (with the County of Provence, Girona, Cerdanya, Osona and other territories) merged by
dynastic union[10][11] upon the marriage of Petronilla of Aragon and Raymond Berenguer IV of
Barcelona ; their individual titles combined in the person of their son Alfonso II of Aragon, who
ascended to the throne in 1162. This union respected the existing institutions and parliaments of
both territories.” – important point of Alfonso’s power emigrating from a marriage – ties to
Languedoc and

Does successfully highlight the difficulty in navigating between the metaphorical and analytical
approaches to medieval social networks. We can see this in McCormick’s chapter that we read this
week where his analysis of Mediterranean naval networks is wrought with danger for the travelers
and can feel limited in terms of available source material. Here, however, in this work – Jenkins
focuses particularly on family networks and regional societies 12

A short work of only 174 pages indicates the introductory nature – there are 80 pages of notes

Views regional studies of the 10th-13th centuries as having a significant absence of scholarly attention
– but unclear as much of his earlier analysis is not part of a regional study and is introductory

Themes of connectivity and controlling alliances run throughout the monograph – conscious decision
made by the father and son rulers to link Aragon to the Mediterranean

While arguing for the importance of the Mediterranean Sea as a means of connecting and uniting
political regions, he does also attempt to value the intangible presence of family networks _.
However, the notion of a sphere of influence is notably missing from this analysis despite the
maintained argumentation of the (thesis statement) . Jenkins instead chooses to half-heartedly
refer to a singular zone of influence incorporating Aragon and the Midi region of France that,
according to his analysis, was unchallenged despite Peter II’s fatal crusading venture in 1213 (119-
20).

Despite the chronological focus of the work accompanying an important moment of religious conflict
in Spain with the Reconquista, the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa is considered as little more than a
political expansion to the south of Aragonese territory.

Too often disrupts important analysis with introductory material about something with seemingly
slight relevance e.g. _ English heresy at time of discussion of Count of Toulouse in chapter 2
 Quotations

“understanding of the developments improved as I broadened the focus of my investigations” from

10th to 13th cent – despite less source material than later centuries preface (but only focuses on 12-
3th in relation to Aragon – the previous centuries act as European moments of interest)

The early Crown of Aragon underwent a number of changes during this period, particularly regarding
its interaction with the Mediterranean world.” 1

Key focus on alliances – family (marriage), ecclesiastical (papacy), social (count-king and nobles) 1

Considering a wide array of sources, from diverse times and of diverse types, illuminates more
directly the diligence and tenacity with which Alfonso II and Peter II sought to enhance their
Mediterranean regional network.” 1

Transition from villages to cities accompanied population increase after 1000 C.E. meaning that
Aragonese attempt for unity was difficult

Indicates the relationship between William VII of Montpellier and Alfonso II of Aragon 3-4

shared aims were critical for the continued development of those communities and that broader
considerations such as reform—in many aspects—could give important shape and direction to these
varied goals” - added to by regional development 6

Moves conversation on from Clifford Geertz’s usage of liminality in the sense of a king being
‘liminally suspended’ between the court and the realm towards additional roles such as the space
between the divine and human realm that the king has to retain (10-11). At this moment misses a
vital opportunity to utilize Ernst Kantorowicz’s generative work on the medieval political theology in
The King’s Two Bodies. Indeed, the work is brought up later only in regard to taxation and this feels
like a missed opportunity to promote Jenkins’s own analysis into the historiography surrounding
monarchy.

- Describes “the liminal position of Catalonia, geographically and culturally” as an inspiration

of research 11

Wants Alfonso II and Peter II to act as anchors for analyzing southern France and Crown of Aragon
politically and geographically

The Mediterranean Sea forms an important connecting component of this study” 13

- But Chapter 5 highlights how Crown of Aragon utilized Pyrenees for travel

Identifies clear East and West split in Mediterranean robust trade analysis 14

coordinating the connections among local, municipal, and regional power structures” occupied the
kings of Aragon as well as every other ruler ever 14

Creating a more stable, international community lay at the heart of these enterprises, and leaders
remained committed to exploring ways to create a more connected Mediterranean community”
linking spiritual, commercial, diplomatic, social, and legal dimensions 16-7

the aim of cultivating such a broader community within the Mediterranean, with the Crown of
Aragon at its center, sustained the animating force creating all activities” 17
both pilgrimages and crusades helped sacralize the connections of seaborne communications” 163

“This study has explored some of the ways that common terms such as justice, mercy, and
community animated the search for fitting expressions of communal life during the late twelfth
and early thirteenth centuries, particularly with respect to two Mediterranean societies. In these
societies, the inhabitants (?!) - led by the examples of Alfonso II and Peter II of Aragon--sought
opportunities for enhancing their social, economic, legal, spiritual, and environmental connectivity
with each other at a time when other social and political forces presented threats to the possibility
for connecting any of these, much less all of them" (173)” BUT NOT ABOUT INHABITANTS – this Is a
political narrative of the monarchy – REPHRASE Rulers “acted in the interest of increasing their
realm's presence in and connections to the wider Mediterranean community”

Questions

Themes

Structure – no introduction or conclusion

- Can end up feeling like a very brief introduction to the time period across Europe with
Aragon as a side thought. Considerable introduction to the Cluniac reforms in France
accompany _ to show how this work aims to familiarize its audience with ‘The
Mediterranean World.’
- Constantly trying to balance the successful political expansion with the issue of supporting
the Cathar community in the Midi region of France – look at Chapter 2 for Alfonso beginning
this involvement with the ally Count Raymond V (political not religious alliance)

Gender

- Despite the series’s focus on gender, his analysis of the female role in Aragon often becomes
stagnated and only offered in comparison to men: “One challenge persisted in the midst of
all these opportunities: finding ways for women to stabilize and augment their efficacy
within their society. Indeed, men not in advantaged positions were encountering similar
opportunities and similar challenges.” 2
- the interests of women and clergy could converge.” 2
- Indeed, chapter five on ‘The Matrimonial Adventures of Peter II of Aragon and Marie of
Montpellier’ strays away from incorporating gender discussion towards the inevitable
discussion of political expansion across the Mediterranean through control of ports.
Maintains view of political marriages with Peter attempt to divorce and marry Marie of
Montferrat due to her title as heiress to Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem – it is persuasive that
the political ties trumped all in this case, but there was a significant amount of _ analysis
missed by not looking at both sides of the matrimonial union
- Does discuss the changing role of noble women within marriage over the course of the
Middle Ages (168-170).  feels out of place and breaks political analysis train of thought
Religion

- Significantly more focus on Christianity despite the presence of Jewish and Muslims in Spain
during this period
o Particularly in regard to literature: Rule of Benedict mentioned alongside Augustine’s
City of God in relation to the ideal of peace desired by a previously fractured
Christian community when considering Augustine’s publication
 Jenkins limited by the source material he can access? More Christian
literature
 This is a trend that continues in the bibliography and source material used as
Jenkins draws on only four Islamic primary sources and two monographs
concerning the Islamic faith – there is also so little discussion of the Jewish
faith that it is not even mentioned in the index with their only being brief
discussion of Jews with Muslims e.g. 105 only using Egyptian example, not
even Aragon – BUT this does show the wider Mediterranean scope being
utilized
- Alliance with Montpellier a crucial part of this social and diplomatic history – idea of creating
a peaceful Mediterranean community – “it was also important for them to foster peaceful
connections within their territories.” 37 – ONLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES
- REVIEW SO REWORD “The author here cites Peter's long-term cultivation of contradictory
allegiances, both locally and internationally, as the most significant factor dictating his
ambivalent behavior during the course of the Albigensian Crusade. Indeed, Peter's close
relationship with the papacy and associates in Toulouse perhaps put him in a unique
position to act as mediator between champions of orthodoxy and Catharism, but his
dynastic connections and broader ambitions would ultimately lead him to fight against the
crusaders” – Aragonese network trumped religious and diplomatic ties with Papacy as even
crusading became a political venture of supporting regional allies

Review quotes

“Considering a wide array of sources, this book reveals the tenacity with which Alfonso II (1162-
1196) and his son Peter II (1196-1213) of the Crown of Aragon forged a tighter Mediterranean
regional network and augmented their regional success.”

The present work provides an excellent overview of Hispanic international policy and the forces that
drove it. Jenkins shows Peter II's failures in the Midi to be a result of personal flaws rather than
policy miscalculations. The book has a rich bibliography and a clear writing style.”

“Vitality and change marked twelfth- and thirteenth-century medieval Mediterranean society.  Many
sought to capitalize upon resurgences in economic success, political intrigue, and social cohesion.
Alfonso II (1162-1196) and his son Peter II (1196-1213) of the Crown of Aragon worked diligently to
augment their regional success.  Yet the sources relating the internal workings of these
developments are, by themselves, insufficient for appreciating the scope and potential of these
opportunities.  Considering a wide array of sources reveals the tenacity with which Alfonso II and
Peter II forged a tighter Mediterranean regional network ready to respond to urgent needs and
enduring concerns.”
“Both Alfonso II and Peter II of Aragon cultivated a set of regional interests that would link the
Crown of Aragon more effectively to a Mediterranean social system. This study has explored some of
these wider relationships, and considering them leads to several conclusions about their significance
for Alfonso, Peter, and their respective careers.”

“Jenkins pays the closest attention to one development in particular: Alfonso's and Peter's efforts to
increase Aragonese strength in the Midi (southern France), where the threat of the spread of the
Albigensian heresy ensured that King Philip II of France and Pope Innocent III possessed an interest
in the region just as intense as their own.”

“the desire of Alfonso and Peter to stabilize, solidify, and enlarge their kingdom”

Uses “diplomatic sources with a multitude of other evidence, including charters, narrative sources,
and saints' lives, in an effort to demonstrate the impact of these policies on the wider
Mediterranean world”

“Yet, Peter's marriage alliances also reveal his desire to participate in eastern crusades, and thus
increase his influence across the Mediterranean. This was certainly one of the most important
factors, argues the author, motivating Peter to divorce Marie of Montpellier and marry Marie of
Montferrat”