-The Crown of Aragon-
This isn't a joke thread, but not a rivindicative one, is only a "presentation" of a civ that you probably unkwon.
A strange name? Read and discover why :
GENERAL INFO (Sid Meier's Civilization III) :
Country : The Crown of Aragon
Adjective : Catalan
Leader Name: Jaume I "El Conqueridor"
(or James I "The Conqueror")
Capitol : Barcelona
Unique Unit : Almogàver (a bloody version of a sword mercenary)
Specifics : Commercial, Industrious
Cities: Saragossa, València, Palma de Mallorca, Lleida, Xàtiva,
Sogorb, Chaca, Sagunt, Besalú, La Seu d'Urgell, Erill-La-Vall, Girona, Perpinyà, Tarragona, Terol, Alacant, Montsó, Tortosa, Fraga, L'Alguer, Andorra La Vella, Ciutadella, Castelló de la Plana, Peníscola, Berga, Vic, Manresa, Manacor, Reus, Terrassa...
BRIEF HISTORY / CIENTIFIC ACHIEVMENTS :
In some chapters:
1.- The unify of the Kingdom of Aragon with the Count of Barcelona (actually Catalunya) creating the Confederation of The Crown of Aragon or (modern name) The Catalanoaragonese Crown.
Note that catalans had the main economic, militar and politic control (the king always rested at Barcelona, until the XV century that changed to València). Aragon only had a religious (contacts with Rome) power.
2.- The trade/economical explosion reached when the kingdoms of València and Mallorca were formed, when this happens, the C. of A. conquered/owned:
Sicilia, Sardinia, Naples (all the south of Italy), Neopatria (the Athens regions) and Murcia.
In these times, where invented a lot of useful politic achievments like:
- The Parlamentary System ("Consell de Cent", The Hundred Ones, was the first known parlament in Europe with a true power and long history 1265-1716).
- The Constitution Documents (each kingdom had a council, like Generalitat Catalana and Generalitat Valenciana, with their power, the King only maintain the militar control and economic taxes).
- The Commerce Commonwealth (around the mediterran sea, were created catalan embassies for the trade treats and an important document, El Llibre del Consolat de Mar, "the book of
the Sea Council" was the main unify point, this law was applied in all the area covered by the trade lines from Brujas to Damasc passing by Lisboa!! It was used until the XIX century)
Important people:
- Ramon Llull (too long to explain it, but is a genius!
) (Philosoph)
- Joanot Martorell (he wrote "Tirant lo Blanch", a possible basis for the Quixote of Cervantes?)
3.- In the XV the Pestilence appeared, Catalonia and Aragon had an enormous declive in people (specially at the cities), but València flourished. An important cultural and social movement make at the XV century the born of the Valencian Nationalism. In this moment, The Confederation of Spain (by the marriage of the queen of Castilla and the king of the Crown of Aragon) was born, but the Confederation rested eith its own rights and laws.
4.- Well, here started the castillian centrailism. No access to america colonization until the XVII century, loss of power, marginalization of the languages (Aragonese was a great langauge...), lose of own institutions, and the last fatal thing: FRANCO (an "open-minded" man).
Is important the anti-franco and procatalanist paper that had the magnificient music Pau Casals (not "Pablo Casals"!).
In the scientific area, is remarcable the contruction of the "Ictini" by Narcís Monturiol, the precursor of the submarines (not a simple inmersion bell).
Of course, there are a lot of more important people, but this is a "short" document
In the artistic area, are remarcable: Miró, Dalí (painters), Antoni Gaudí (architect). Picasso had a great influence from Barcelona but he isn't catalan (and not valencian or aragonese) !
Catalonia become the 4th textil power in the world, the Llobregat river was the most industrailized in Europe, actually the old Crown of Aragon territories represent the 45% of IBP in Spain and the 50% of exportations. Barcelona is the economical and trade capital of Spain. València and Saragossa (Zaragoza)
are important european trade network points.
5.- The actual moment, catalan language growing fastly, economy growing fastly... Well, Madrid
(Spain capitol) continues with its prehistorical idea of centralize everything.
People remarcable: Santiago Calatrava (a valencian architect genius), Mariscal, Joan Brossa...
CULTURAL STATUS:
There are two proper languages: Catalan (called Valencian at the
Valencian Country) and Aragonese.
- Catalan has 11 milions of speakers, and is the 7th biggest language in Europe (UE or all Europe? I don't know). Is the official language of the state of Andorra, with the recent entrance of this state in the ONU council, this language is internationally recognized.
This percentages are changing fastly, only in Valencian Country
presents a stopped situation. In 20 years the number of
catalans-speakers has grown in 2 milion.
Catalan is by a 45% of the nord-catalans (French is the official language).
Old (1991) but useful information could be reached at:
http://www.gencat.es/simbols/allengua.htm
- Aragonese is in a strong declive period, it only has 50.000 speakers, but in the past was spoken in all the Aragon territory and in the inner Valencian Country.
- Also, there is Castillian (the All-Spain official language), spoken
as main language by a 95% of aragonese people, 35% of catalan, 45% valencian and 25% baleraican.
INHABITANTS/AREA:
This civilization actually represents is a group of 14 milions
allocated in Europe. The sector is the mediterranean western area, the eastern coast in the Ibierian Peninsulae and south of France.
Barcelona has a 4'5 metropolitan area, the 8th most populated
area in Europe (UE or all Europe? I don't know).
València has a 2'2 metropolitan area.
Saragossa has a 0'8 metropolitan area.
Palma de Mallorca has a 0'5 metropolitan area.
RESUME:
In an easy (but by far not accurate) text: "They like money, industry, architecture and paint".
----
Well, what do you think? Ah! We also has bloody revolts and wars, an horrible past of people
exterminations and all the things that give atracting to a civ
.
Of course, if the "Crown of Aragon" is included, "Spain" could appear as Castilla, but I believe that people of Castilla will preffer "Spain"
Could be useful for a Incas-Portugal-Spain-Crown of Aragon set, for a "The Conquerors in Civ III" expansion. Also C. of A. had an important relation to teh Arabic
World.
I will add more info (if you want).
i don't think anyone cares
