Transforming the State

In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the Crown of Aragon was among the most active powers of the Mediterranean world. This volume examines the attempt by its ruling dynasty to ‘rationalize’ its court so as to expand the monarchy’s ability to gather and deploy resources in support of royal ambitions. Because change in medieval institutions, however, is based as much on exigency and personality as on political theory and program, this volume also focuses on the way in which the processes of transformation functioned at a human level. The book explores the quotidian operations of the various bureaus of the court, as well as their social milieu, paying particular attention to the correlation between programmatic ideal and reality.

'This is a courageous and helpful book. … All [this] is well done, with energy and clarity. But the strength of the book lies in its control of a printed documentation, primary and secondary, that is fundamental to the history of power in the medieval Crown of Aragon after about 1250.' Thomas N. Bisson, Speculum, 2004.

Marta VanLandingham, Ph.D. (1997) at the UCLA, is Assistant Professor of History at Purdue University. In addition to her work on the high-medieval royal court, she has published articles on canon law and on queenship, and is also exploring the social and cultural history of besieged communities.