Ponç Hug IV of Empúries
Encyclopedia
Ponç V or Ponç Hug IV was the Count of Empúries (Ampurias) from 1277 until his death and viscount of Bas
from 1285 to 1291. He was the son and successor of Hug V and Sibila de Palau.
His mother, widowed, purchased the viscounty of Bas from Peter III of Aragon
in 1280. In 1282 Ponç Hug participated in the Aragonese Crusade
against the crusaders, on the side of Peter III. In 1285 the viscounty of Bas devolved to Ponç in reward for his services in 1282 and Peter also compensated him with the rights over Fernando and Castellfollit de Riubregós
.
Ponç served as admiral of the fleet to James I of Sicily and was in Sicily
in 1291, when he exchanged Bas with his brother Huguet, also in Sicily that year, on the condition that it would devolve to Ponç's descendants if Huguet had none. Ponç received Castellfollit, Montros, and Montagut
in the exchange. He returned with James later that year after he inherited Aragon and Catalonia, but Huguet stayed behind in Siciy.
When James signed the Treaty of Anagni
with the French
and the Papacy, thus putting an end to the War of the Vespers, in 1295, the people of Sicily under James' younger brother Frederick III
opposed him. When Frederick heard that James was preparing to go to war with him, he sent a messenger, Mountainer Pérez de Sosa, to Catalonia in an effort to stir up the barons and cities against James in 1298. Mountainer carried with him an Occitan poem, Ges per guerra no.m chal aver consir, intended as a communication with his supporters in Catalonia. This communiqué seems to have had in mind Ponç Hug as a recipient, for the count penned a response (under the title con d'Emppuria), A l'onrat rei Frederic terz vai dir, in which he praised Frederick's tact and diplomacy, but told him bluntly that he would not abandon his sovereign. This poetic transaction is usually dated to January–March, Spring, or August 1296, but Gerónimo Zurita in the seventeenth century specifically dated the embassy of Mountainer to 1298.
In the subsequent war, Ponç and his vassals fought with James' galleys at the Battle of Cape Orlando
, while Huguet his brother fought among the ships of Frederick. Many subsequent scholars have assumed that Ponç had gone over to the side of his brother, but this is unlikely.
Ponç later turned against James and rose in revolt, driving his functionaries out of Empúries. But the king proved to powerful for his most powerful baron and Ponç was ruined and forced to submit in 1306.
to Empúries. The couple had three children:
Viscounty of Besalú
The Viscounty of Besalú, or Bas , was the sub-comital authority in the county of Besalú during the Middle Ages. It was ruled by the House of Cervera .*Bernard I, circa 986*Huguet, circa 1000*Udalard I, 1079–1115*Udalard II, 1115–1123*Peter I,...
from 1285 to 1291. He was the son and successor of Hug V and Sibila de Palau.
His mother, widowed, purchased the viscounty of Bas from Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
in 1280. In 1282 Ponç Hug participated in the Aragonese Crusade
Aragonese Crusade
The Aragonese Crusade or Crusade of Aragon, a part of the larger War of the Sicilian Vespers, was declared by Pope Martin IV against the King of Aragon, Peter III the Great, in 1284 and 1285...
against the crusaders, on the side of Peter III. In 1285 the viscounty of Bas devolved to Ponç in reward for his services in 1282 and Peter also compensated him with the rights over Fernando and Castellfollit de Riubregós
Castellfollit de Riubregós
Castellfollit de Riubregós is a municipality in the comarca of the Anoia in Catalonia, Spain....
.
Ponç served as admiral of the fleet to James I of Sicily and was in Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
in 1291, when he exchanged Bas with his brother Huguet, also in Sicily that year, on the condition that it would devolve to Ponç's descendants if Huguet had none. Ponç received Castellfollit, Montros, and Montagut
Montagut
Montagut is a clothing company located in Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut in the Auzene Valley, France.There, in 1880, Pierre Gros's great-great-grandfather founded a silk yarn factory. This activity went on from generation to generation. In 1925, Georges Tinland set up a knitting factory in the same...
in the exchange. He returned with James later that year after he inherited Aragon and Catalonia, but Huguet stayed behind in Siciy.
When James signed the Treaty of Anagni
Treaty of Anagni
The Treaty of Anagni was an accord between the Pope Boniface VIII, James II of Aragon, Philip IV of France, Charles II of Naples, and James II of Majorca. It was signed on 20 June 1295 at Anagni, in what is now central Italy. The chief purpose was to confirm the Treaty of Tarascon of 1291, which...
with the French
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
and the Papacy, thus putting an end to the War of the Vespers, in 1295, the people of Sicily under James' younger brother Frederick III
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
opposed him. When Frederick heard that James was preparing to go to war with him, he sent a messenger, Mountainer Pérez de Sosa, to Catalonia in an effort to stir up the barons and cities against James in 1298. Mountainer carried with him an Occitan poem, Ges per guerra no.m chal aver consir, intended as a communication with his supporters in Catalonia. This communiqué seems to have had in mind Ponç Hug as a recipient, for the count penned a response (under the title con d'Emppuria), A l'onrat rei Frederic terz vai dir, in which he praised Frederick's tact and diplomacy, but told him bluntly that he would not abandon his sovereign. This poetic transaction is usually dated to January–March, Spring, or August 1296, but Gerónimo Zurita in the seventeenth century specifically dated the embassy of Mountainer to 1298.
In the subsequent war, Ponç and his vassals fought with James' galleys at the Battle of Cape Orlando
Battle of Cape Orlando
The naval Battle of Cape Orlando took place on 4 July 1299 at St Marco di Val Demone, north-western Sicily, when an Aragonese and Angevin galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Conrad d'Oria. Both leaders, James II and Frederick III, were present...
, while Huguet his brother fought among the ships of Frederick. Many subsequent scholars have assumed that Ponç had gone over to the side of his brother, but this is unlikely.
Ponç later turned against James and rose in revolt, driving his functionaries out of Empúries. But the king proved to powerful for his most powerful baron and Ponç was ruined and forced to submit in 1306.
Family
Ponç married (1281) the Marquesa de Cabrera, uniting CabreraCabrera
Cabrera means goatherd in Spanish and Catalan. It may refer to:Places:* Cabrera, Balearic Islands* Cabrera, a town in the northeast of the Dominican Republic* Cabrera, Cundinamarca, a town in Colombia* Cabrera, Santander, a town in Colombia...
to Empúries. The couple had three children:
- Hug (assassinated 1309), named heir
- Ponç VI (c.1290–1322), successor
- Blancaflor (died 1313)
Sources
- Riquer, Martín de. Los trovadores: historia literaria y textos. 3 vol. Barcelona: Planeta, 1975.