The Middle Ages

The failed expedition of the Emperor Charlemagne of the Francs to Zaragossa and the famous event at Roncevaux in 778 had unexpected and beneficial effects for Roussillon.
Many priests, nobles, intellectuals or simply ordinary people flocked there to escape the disturbances south of the Pyrenees, attracted by their tolerant policy towards immigration and encouraged by Charlemagne’s decree that people working for crown property that was wasteland could become the legitimate owner after 30 years. At this time many abbeys and monasteries were founded: Saint-André de Vallespir, Saint-André de Sureda (Sorède), followed some years later by those at Arles-sur-Tech and Saint-Michel de Cuixà.
After being conquered by the Francs, Roussillon was placed under the guardianship of Guillem, the Duke of Toulouse, and experienced various restructuring because of disputes with the Goths and problems with various nomadic peoples, sometimes those in league with Muslim lords who were often active in the area.
Also various local dynasties appeared, rich, noble Catalan families who would stay in power until the 15th century.
Roussillon now belonged to a new regional area ruled by the Marquis of Gothie stretching from the outskirts of Barcelona to Cerdagne and the Conflent, and six other regions previously known as Septimania. This land would later be shared between the three children of Suniefred the First: Miro, Radulf and Guifred. Guifred, nicknamed “El Pelut” (the Hairy One) is without doubt one of the most famous characters in Catalan folklore.
There were many political goings-on in these feudal times in our region:  devastating and violent private wars, then calm periods with economic growth, especially under the powerful auspices of the Order of the Knights Templar, who drained the marshes and constructed vast agricultural and viticultural estates from their manor at Mas Deu at Trouillas.
At the same time the Counts of Roussillon established themselves at Perpignan in 993 on the orders of Count Guillabert the First, and the church of Saint-Jean-Le-Vieux was consecrated in 1025 and also Villefranche-de-Conflent in 1090.
The last Count of Roussillon was Girart II who, after family squabbles left practically nothing to his descendants. On his death in 1172, he bequeathed most of his personal wealth to religious orders and his lands, including Roussillon, to his rival Alphonse the First, Count of Barcelona, Besalu et Cerdagne and King of Aragon (son of Raymond-Berenguer IV).

Under the reign of Alphonse the First the fortress of Salses was built, protecting its new frontier from the menacing eyes of the Count of Toulouse. The castle itself was not built until 1497. This was also when the Jews settled in Roussillon, taking advantage of the royal protection. There were important people in this community – bankers, doctors, intellectuals, poets - all contributed later on to the influence of Roussillon throughout Europe.
King Peter II, “the Catholic”, son of Alphonse the First, reigned from 1196 to 1213 and created the commune of Perpinyà in 1197, giving it the privilege of self-administration by means of an assembly of 5 elected consuls.
On his death his son, Jaume (Jack) the First, known as “le Conqueror”, inherited the crown. He was barely five years old. His uncles ruled on his behalf until he reached the age of legal majority and became king of the lands of Aragon and Roussillon.

Some words on the history

Some important dates... Pre-History Ancient Times The middle Ages The Kingdom of Majorca The Treaty of the Pyrenees Once upon a time... Vauban