The Mancunian and Catalan Textile Industries

Okay it took me some time and some hardcore internet searching to find any links between Catalonia and Manchester, but I think I’ve found some! The main link I’ve focussed on is their shared history within the textile industry.

Manchester was one of Britain’s first towns to become industrialised and this was due to the major cotton industry that sprung up in the south of Lancashire and Cheshire during the late 1700s and early 1800s. The processing of this product took place in Manchester and, under such conditions, the city rapidly became one of the most industrialised cities worldwide and the centre of the cotton industry; so much so that it became known as “Cottonopolis” an “Warehouse City” and to this day many Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans continue to refer to common household linen such as bed sheets and pillow cases as Manchester. This boom in cotton manufacturing spilled into the creation of other industries in the cities, firstly in the production of machinery to power the trade itself and then into the manufacture of other products. Manchester was only surpassed by Bolton as the largest city in England in the 1850s and in 1913 still produced 65% of the world’s cotton.

Catalonia was also to become the major centre of the textile industry in Spain during a similar period, albeit more slowly, and was to benefit hugely from the technological advances made in the cotton producing centres of Britain in transforming Catalonia into a major industrial hub of Spain. The technology created to power the industry in England by such figures as Hargreaves (Who created the spinning jenny which was to be the most widely used model in Catalonia) and by Arkwright (whose machinery was used in the Lancashire mills that provided the raw cotton for processing in Manchester) were crucial in revolutionising Catalan mills in a nation that was behind the drag curve with regards to industrialisation. This allowed Catalonia to become the major cotton capital in Spain and thus in the Spanish empire, and the parallels drawn with the famous British city led to Barcelona becoming known as “Little Manchester”

So this is the link I found! I thought it was pretty interesting, and taught me a lot about Manchester as well as Barcelona!

Enjoy!
Chris

Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy)

Well, after reading the storyboard in Monday’s lesson about Catalunya Nord, I thought that I would find out a bit more on Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy) and his influence on Catalan culture.

Guifré el Pilós , commonly known in English as Wilfred the Hairy , was Count of Urgell (870–897), Cerdanya (870–897), Barcelona (878–897), Girona (878–897), Besalú (878–897), and Ausona (886–897). He was called the Hairy because, quite simply he was. One story tells that his mother recognised him on his return from a youthful exile in Flanders, as he had hair on a part of the body where it should not have been. Some sources suggest that it was the soles of his feet that were the unusual site.

As with so many historical figures, details of his birth are sketchy, and those we do have are of doubtful, traditional origins. What is known is that he was of Gothic descent, from the region of Carcassonne, born near Prades. His father was supposedly Wilfred of Arriaount, who was murdered, though later avenged by his son.

In the middle of the ninth century, Catalonia was recovering from Saracen and Frankish rule, growing and repopulating under the control of local counts whose power was given to them by the Carolingian empire. The empire was struggling to maintain control. The area was really controlled by individuals, local warlords who sought to help their own localities (comarques) to blossom. Intent on bringing independence to the area, and shaking off outside control, Count Guifré decided to take action.

Between the years 870 and 878, he (with his brother) fought against the resistance to his plans of independence. This done, he took up residence in the recently liberated city of Barcelona, built himself a grand palace and began to grow his political power. He integrated with the clergy. He set about a massive program of building churches and abbeys throughout the region. He had effective control over the whole of Catalonia. Beginning with himself as the Count of Barcelona, Guifré established hereditary titles (as above) Peace now truly reigned in the area - trade and economy blossomed, and the nobles supplied regular troops to defend ports and communication routes.

By 883 or 884, the Muslims became increasingly uneasy by the expansion of the Christian Counties to the north. The Muslim ruler Ismail ibn Musa ibn Qasi fortified Lleida in response. Provoked by this, Wilfred attacked Lleida and Ismail. The attack however was a disaster and Wilfred died in battle in 11th August 897. He was buried in the monastery at Ripoll.

One of the stranger legends surrounding him was the slaying of a dragon, brought to the Llobregat river by the Saracens. He attacked the beast with an oak branch, before finishing it off with lance and sword. In this way, he is associated with Saint George, patron saint of Catalonia.

The origin of the Catalan flag is also said to originate with the hairy hero - it is said that he was seriously wounded in the battle for Barcelona, and the Frankish king Louis the Pious visited him, and noticed his shield, covered in gold leaf. Keen to honouring him, the king dipped his fingers in Wilfred's blood and drew them across the shield, leaving four crimson stripes.
So, could it be said that Guifré el Pilós is really the hero of Catalonia? Although later over-run, he had established a united region and thus has risen as a figure of independence for Catalonia and an individual of importance for contemporary Catalan nationalists. Most importantly, he was called Wilfred the Hairy, and I think any man is deserved of the title of a ‘hero’ for putting up with that name!

Christina :]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_the_Hairy
http://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guifr%C3%A9_el_Pil%C3%B3s

History of Catalonia

As we read the newspaper articles which involved some Catalan history, I thought I’d look at this for my entry, up to the reign of Ferran and Isabella.

Eastern European Celts arrived in what is recognised as the present day Catalan Territory and mixed with the natives, setting up numerous independent free tribes in the region, around 1000 BC. The Ancient Greeks arrived in the area in approximately 800 BC and set up commercial subsidiaries near the sea, it is thought that the period following this was quite successful economically as in the 5th Century BC 300 ships sank within the radius of Cap de Creus.

Next it was the Romans who arrived in 218BC and ruled until the 3rd Century AD whose success is seen in their expanding outposts, such as Barcino (now Barcelona) and Tarraco (now Tarragona). Following the demise of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century AD Catalonia was subject to many foreign invaders trying to seize power. First it was the ‘barbarians’ from Germania who took over, with the Visigoths coming from the north and made Catalonia part of the Kingdom of Toledo. After this it was the Moors who reached Catalonia in 716, with many people fleeing to the Pyrenees or the Franconians’ Empire, though after a battle in 778 Barcelona became the centre of the Franconians’ property in Spain.

However in the 9th and 10th Centuries the Franconians power faded and the Counts of Barcelona seized their opportunity by taking over the city and making alliances with the Kingdom of Aragon. It was Ramón Berenger I who gave the region its foundation for political life by unionising the ‘Cortes’ and proclaiming ‘Usatges’, which controlled the laws of the Catalonia and the rights of the people, drastically reducing the power of the king. It was Ramón Berenger IV who married Petronella of Aragaon and from the 12th to the 15th Centuries the two regions formed a common kingdom, this period saw the 1st written Catalan texts and the establishment of a municipal government in Barcelona. There was also a period of economic prosperity in the region, agricultural production and the population increased, with markets and banking flourishing, as well as Barcelona becoming a major trading port within Europe.

In 1348, as did most of Europe, Catalonia suffered greatly at the hands of the Plague, with 50% of the population dying, the crisis led to a climax during the civil war between the central government and Juan II of Aragaon. In 1469 Catalonia became part of the new Catholic Kingdom of Ferdianand (Ferran) II and Isabella of Castilia.

Hope at least someone found this remotely interesting and not just me blabbering on :).
Lee x

(http://www.cbrava.com/cathist.uk.htm)

Els Segadors...The national anthem of Catalonia

The Catalonia national anthem is a reflection of an original song which has its origin in the historical events of 1640, the war of the Catalans against King Philip IV, therefore the anthem has the characteristics of a fierce call to defend the freedom of the land. It is seen to unite people in favour of the survival of a nation which proclaims its full national character.
Els Segadors was declared the Catalan national anthem in 1993.The official sound recording was made and released in 1994.

Triumphant, Catalonia,
Will once again be rich and full!
We must not be the prey
Of those proud and arrogant invaders!
Let us swing the sickle!
Let us swing the sickle, defenders of our land!
Let us swing the sickle!
Now is the moment, oh reapers!
Now is the moment, to be alert!
Awaiting the arrival of another June
Let us sharpen our tools!
(Chorus)
May our enemy tremble
On seeing our noble flag:
Just as we reap the golden corn,
May we also cut free of the chains!
(Chorus)

http://www.gencat.cat/catalunya/himne_totsegad_tcm32-266.mp3

Steph xx