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History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella
History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella Author:William H. Prescott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SECTION II. REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ARAGON, TO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Rise of Aragon.—Ricos Hombres.—Their Immunities.—Their Turbulence... more ».—Privileges of Union.—The Legislature.—Its Forms.—Its Powers.—General Privilege.—Judicial Functions of Cortes.—The Justice.—His Great Authority.—Rise and Opulence of Barcelona.— Her Free Institutions.—Intellectual Culture. The political institutions of Aragon, although bearing a general resemblance to those of Castile, were sufficiently dissimilar to stamp a peculiar physiognomy on the character of the nation, which still continued after it had been incorporated with the great mass of the Spanish monarchy. It was not until the expiration of nearly five centuries after the Saracen invasion that the little district of Aragon, growing up under the shelter of the Pyrenees, was expanded into the dimensions of the province which now bears that name. During this period, it was painfully struggling into being, like the other states of the Peninsula, by dint of fierce, unin- termitted warfare with the infidel. Even after this period, it would probably have filled but an insignificant space in the map of history, and, instead of assuming an independent station, have been compelled, like Navarre, to accommodate itself to the politics of the potent monarchies by which it was surrounded, had it not extended its empire by a fortunate union with Catalonia in the twelfth, and the conquest of Valenciain the thirteenth century.' These new territories were not only far more productive than its own, but, by their long line of coast and commodious ports, enabled theAragonese, hitherto pentupwithin theirbarrenmountains, to open a communication with distant regions. The ancient county of Barcelona had reached a higher degree of civiliz...« less