Abstract
The members of the Torroja family were extremely important as advisers on political and military strategy to the counts of Barcelona (monarchs of the Crown of Aragon) Arnaldo was elected Grand Master of the Knights Templar (1181–1184). On 30 September 1184, the Templar Master passed away in the city of Veneto; Arnaldo de Torroja was buried at the church of San Vitale in Verona. The church was destroyed when the river Adige flooded it in the 18th century, and it was closed down in 1760 as a result of the damage caused. Some years ago, behind a wall, a sarcophagus was discovered on which was carved the typical Templar cross (Cross patty) and, in 2016, it was opened by a team of Italian scientists. The skeletal remains corresponded to the age Arnaldo. Thanks to the book that I recently published “Armorial de los Obispos de Barcelona, siglos XII–XXI”, it has been realized that the sarcophagus of the brother of Arnaldo of Torroja, Guillermo is contained within the Family heraldry “Golden a castle of Gules”, they requested that the aforementioned bishop’s remains be analysed, in order to compare them with those of Arnaldo.
Highlights
The introduction of the Knights Templar into the shires of what is Catalonia was further encouraged by the fact that Ramón Berenguer III (1096–1131) took his vows to enter the Order five days before his death, in July 1131
The Count of Urgel granted the castle of Barberá to the Order in 1132, while other barons
In Lateran on 22 March 1188, Pope Clement II confirmed the donations that had been made to the Knights Templar by the counts of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer IV and Alfons II
Summary
The introduction of the Knights Templar into the shires of what is Catalonia was further encouraged by the fact that Ramón Berenguer III (1096–1131) took his vows to enter the Order five days before his death, in July 1131. The first castle that this Count of Barcelona donated to the Templars was that of Granyena, in 1130. The Aragonese did not respect this will, but, in exchange, they granted several castles to the Temple, including those of Montso and Montgai, Xalanera, Barberá, Remolins and the castle of Corbins. After these territories were recaptured in the 13th century, the Templars set up several encomiendas in the most important locations, including Tortosa, Lerida, Barcelona, Castelló de Ampurias, Valencia and the city of Mallorca. In Lateran on 22 March 1188, Pope Clement II confirmed the donations that had been made to the Knights Templar by the counts of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer IV and Alfons II.
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