Books by Victòria A. Burguera i Puigserver
Els perills de la mar a la Corona d'Aragó baixmedieval. Ofensiva i defensa marítima des de l'observatori mallorquí (1410-1458). Barcelona: Fundació Noguera, 2024, 2024
Papers by Victòria A. Burguera i Puigserver
Victòria Burguera, Laurin Herberich, Nikolas Jaspert: "Jäger und Gejagte. Mittelalterliche Gewaltunternehmer im Mittelmeerraum". Ruperto Karola Forschungsmagazin 'Aktiv und Passiv', 26 (2025), pp. 76-83, 2025
Viu Fandos, María, y Victòria A. Burguera i Puigserver. “Dinero, poder y guerra en el Mediterráneo medieval. Las consecuencias del hundimiento de una nave comercial catalana en Siracusa en 1429.” Edad Media. Revista de Historia 26 (2025): 175-206, 2025
Resumen: En 1429 una nave mercantil catalana fue hundida frente a las aguas de Siracusa por un fa... more Resumen: En 1429 una nave mercantil catalana fue hundida frente a las aguas de Siracusa por un famoso patrón genovés, Paolo Cicogna, considerado a menudo un pirata. En este trabajo analizamos las consecuencias de este ataque, que se inscribe en un contexto de intensas tensiones políticas entre las principales potencias del Mediterráneo occidental (Corona de Aragón, Génova, Milán y Florencia). Esta situación influirá en la gestión del conflicto comercial iniciado por los mercaderes afectados, entre los que destaca el barcelonés Joan de Torralba, cuyo capital sociopolítico facilitará la concesión de una marca o represalia por Alfonso el Magnánimo contra la república de Florencia.
Abstract: In 1429 a Catalan merchant ship was sunk off the waters of Syracuse by a famous Genoese skipper, Paolo Cicogna, who was often considered as a pirate. In this paper we analyse the consequences of this attack, which took place in a context of intense political tensions between the main powers of the western Mediterranean (Crown of Aragon, Genoa, Milan and Florence). This situation influenced the management of the commercial conflict initiated by the merchants affected, including Joan de Torralba from Barcelona, whose socio-political capital facilitated the granting of a letter of mark or reprisal by Alfonso the Magnanimous against the republic of Florence.
Abstract: In 1429 a Catalan merchant ship was sunk off the waters of Syracuse by a famous Genoese skipper, Paolo Cicogna, who was often considered as a pirate. In this paper we analyse the consequences of this attack, which took place in a context of intense political tensions between the main powers of the western Mediterranean (Crown of Aragon, Genoa, Milan and Florence). This situation influenced the management of the commercial conflict initiated by the merchants affected, including Joan de Torralba from Barcelona, whose socio-political capital facilitated the granting of a letter of mark or reprisal by Alfonso the Magnanimous against the republic of Florence.
Burguera Puigserver, Victòria A. Intelligence on Threats—Municipal Management of Maritime Warnings in 15th-Century Catalonia. Histories 2025, 5(2), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/histories5020027, 2025
Since the early 14th century, the Mediterranean coasts of the Crown of Aragon had mechanisms in p... more Since the early 14th century, the Mediterranean coasts of the Crown of Aragon had mechanisms in place to alert populations of incoming threats from the sea. In addition to maritime surveillance systems strategically positioned at elevated vantage points, any information reaching the coast that posed a threat to the safety of the population or trade was swiftly relayed along the shoreline, ensuring that coastal communities could prepare and defend themselves. This information, preserved in the correspondence of coastal city authorities, serves today as a primary source not only for reconstructing maritime threats in the late Middle Ages but also for assessing the role of urban leaders in managing defence. This article explores both aspects. By analysing maritime alerts either received in the city of Barcelona or disseminated from it during the first half of the 15th century, this study examines the main threats to the Catalan coastline while emphasizing the central role of cities in managing the alert system.
“Servei i guerra; comerç i transport. Mallorca i els mallorquins en les empreses marítimes i navals d'Alfons el Magnànim" en Ramis Barceló, Rafael (ed.), El llindar de la modernitat: Mallorca a la tardor medieval i al Renaixement (1412–1598), Editorial Sindéresis, Madrid-Porto, 2024, pp. 341-369, 2024
La present contribució aporta una síntesi de la intervenció dels mallorquins i d’embarcacions mal... more La present contribució aporta una síntesi de la intervenció dels mallorquins i d’embarcacions mallorquines en les empreses navals del Magnànim, en la prestació de serveis al monarca, per una banda, i en la participació en els tràfics comercials de l’illa a través del nòlit de mercaderies, per una altra. La documentació mallorquina permet així mateix obtenir a informació sobre el moviment d'embarcacions i patrons d'altres territoris.
"Pro vestris meritis et in satisfactione gratuitorum serviciorum". La participación en la guerra naval como vía de ascenso social en la Mallorca del siglo XV. En la España medieval, 47 (2024): 97-118, 2024
ES Resumen. El presente artículo tiene el objetivo de proporcionar una primera aproximación al as... more ES Resumen. El presente artículo tiene el objetivo de proporcionar una primera aproximación al ascenso social, político y económico que experimentaron algunos sujetos mallorquines a través de su participación en la empresa napolitana de Alfonso el Magnánimo. Mediante el cotejo de documentación real-sobre todo, de registros fiscales y de correspondencia-se identifican algunos de los mallorquines que participaron en las campañas navales, sobre todo de los que lo hicieron mediante el aprovisionamiento de efectivos bélicos y, en especial, de galeras. Se analizan sus aportaciones, así como las compensaciones que recibieron por parte de la monarquía, y se dibuja, en conclusión, una vía de promoción social a través de la contribución en las empresas navales.
Palabras clave: ascenso social; Mallorca medieval; guerra naval; nobleza; galeras
EN "Pro vestris meritis et in satisfactione gratuitorum serviciorum". Participation in naval warfare as a way of social promotion in fifteenth-century Majorca
EN Abstract. The aim of this article is to provide a first approach to the social, political and economic ascent experienced by some Mallorcan subjects by their participation in the Neapolitan enterprise of Alfonso the Magnanimous. Through the comparison of royal sources-mostly, fiscal records and correspondence registers-some of the Mallorcans who participated in the naval campaigns are identified, mainly those who did so through the provisioning of galleys for the war.
Palabras clave: ascenso social; Mallorca medieval; guerra naval; nobleza; galeras
EN "Pro vestris meritis et in satisfactione gratuitorum serviciorum". Participation in naval warfare as a way of social promotion in fifteenth-century Majorca
EN Abstract. The aim of this article is to provide a first approach to the social, political and economic ascent experienced by some Mallorcan subjects by their participation in the Neapolitan enterprise of Alfonso the Magnanimous. Through the comparison of royal sources-mostly, fiscal records and correspondence registers-some of the Mallorcans who participated in the naval campaigns are identified, mainly those who did so through the provisioning of galleys for the war.
Clio & Crimen, n.º 20 (2023), pp. 103-127. Dossier: Delincuencia marítima y portuaria a través de la Historia , 2023
El estudio de la delincuencia y de la conflictividad en los mares de la Corona de Aragón bajomedi... more El estudio de la delincuencia y de la conflictividad en los mares de la Corona de Aragón bajomedieval pone de manifiesto tres cuestiones principales: la relación entre las diversas instituciones de poder con la práctica de la violencia marítima; la ambigüedad del uso de la palabra pirata y piratería en la Edad Media, y su asociación con los propios patrones autóctonos de los territorios a los que atacan. El presente artículo ejemplifica esta triple problemática a través de la reconstrucción de la actividad marítima de uno de los personajes más próximos al monarca Alfonso el Magnánimo: Galceran de Requesens
Anales de la Universidad de Alicante. Historia Medieval 24 (2023), pp. 67-90. Dossier: Violencias y resoluciones de conflictos en las sociedades medievales. , 2023
This article delves into the functioning of justice in the face of piratical acts in the Crown of... more This article delves into the functioning of justice in the face of piratical acts in the Crown of Aragon in the Late Middle Ages. It focuses on a landmark case such as that of the Majorcan skipper Ponç Descatllar. Through his attempts to escape justice after being accused of acting with his galley against the King’s subjects, his case becomes representative of both the crimes that could be charged to people accused of committing illegitimate attacks on the seas and the jurisdictional course that a case like his could take. The article examines which medieval courts (royal, ecclesiastical,
maritime and mercantile) could judge a person informally categorized as a
pirate, as well as intervene in different aspects derived from his actions, such as the reparation of damages or the return of property to the victims. It demonstrates how, in the absence of a specific crime of piracy in medieval times, maritime outrages were included in other types of crimes, such as treason or lèse-majesté. Moreover, through the accused’s contacts and the efforts of Barcelona’s municipal authorities to incriminate him, it shows the varied and conflicting interests of certain jurisdictional powers, acting for and against Ponç, under whose influence the justice system acted. This case becomes, at the same time, a reflection of the increasingly evident
differences between Barcelona’s municipal leaders and the monarch, and a demonstration of urban government intervention in the process of piracy criminalization.
maritime and mercantile) could judge a person informally categorized as a
pirate, as well as intervene in different aspects derived from his actions, such as the reparation of damages or the return of property to the victims. It demonstrates how, in the absence of a specific crime of piracy in medieval times, maritime outrages were included in other types of crimes, such as treason or lèse-majesté. Moreover, through the accused’s contacts and the efforts of Barcelona’s municipal authorities to incriminate him, it shows the varied and conflicting interests of certain jurisdictional powers, acting for and against Ponç, under whose influence the justice system acted. This case becomes, at the same time, a reflection of the increasingly evident
differences between Barcelona’s municipal leaders and the monarch, and a demonstration of urban government intervention in the process of piracy criminalization.
Medievalismo, 2022
Medievalismo es una revista especializada en temas de contenido histórico medieval promovida por ... more Medievalismo es una revista especializada en temas de contenido histórico medieval promovida por la SEEM con una periodicidad anual, bajo el amparo editorial de Editum (
ESPACIO, TIEMPO Y FORMA SERIE III HISTORIA MEDIEVAL, 2022
This article explores one of the least known aspects of the slave trade: the existence of a perce... more This article explores one of the least known aspects of the slave trade: the existence of a percentage of failed operations, in which the debts of their owners involved the seizure of goods or even of the slaves themselves, conceived as guarantees of payment. The island of Mallorca is presented here as one of the most appropriate places on which to focus this study, given the well-known significant presence of slaves in the late Middle Ages on the island and the persistence of judicial sources that allow for the tracking of foreclosure orders. This information, collected from the correspondence of the kingdom's governor, confirms operations that until now could only be inferred, since they did not appear explicitly in notarial records, the most common source for the study of slave transactions.
War, Diplomacy and Peacemaking in Medieval Iberia, 2021
"Attès que lo dit loch de Santanyí és de gran reguart e perill" Santanyí i la mar a la baixa edat mitjana
IV Jornades d'Estudis Locals de Santanyí, 2021
Mayurqa
Nova coordinació de les Jornades d'Estudis Locals de les Illes Balears NOTÍCIES Durant el curs 20... more Nova coordinació de les Jornades d'Estudis Locals de les Illes Balears NOTÍCIES Durant el curs 2016-17 es va encetar una nova etapa de cooperació del Departament de Ciències Històriques i Teoria de les Arts de la UIB en les jornades d'estudis locals celebrades arreu de les Illes Balears. El Departament percebia des de feia alguns anys el creixent fervor de les jornades d'estudis promogudes des dels municipis i les localitats de l'illa de Mallorca. L'incentiu s'unia a l'impuls d'altres iniciatives: jornades, seminaris, con-gressos…, dedicats a l'estudi de diverses temàtiques que, tot i no ser exclusivament locals, estaven fortament lligades a la cultura, al paisatge o al patrimoni de les Illes i, per tant, mereixien ser tingudes en compte, juntament amb els estudis locals organitzats en el si dels diversos municipis. És el cas, per exemple, de les Jornades de Cultura Popular i Tradicional de les Illes Balears, que tingueren lloc a Eivissa el novembre de 2017 i es repetiren a Formentera durant la tardor de 2018; del Congrés Internacional de Molinologia, que celebrà l'onzena sessió a Mallorca; o del XVI Congrés Internacional sobre la Pedra en Sec, que el mateix 2018 es dugué a terme a Menorca. L'estímul de les jornades d'estudis locals-visible sobretot a l'illa de Mallorca-i d'altres projectes d'estudi arreu de les Balears s'ha convertit els darrers anys en un motor generador i impulsor de la recerca a les Illes. Una recerca que abraça diversos àmbits del saber, des de les humanitats a les ciències naturals, des del patrimoni als estudis mediambientals, en un marc cronològic ampli i amb un únic comú denominador: l'espai en el qual tenen lloc, l'àmbit local. Tot al contrari de considerar aquests estudis tancats i esgotats en la seva reduïda circumscripció geogràfica, constitueixen una aportació i una contribució valuosa al coneixement del conjunt del territori de les Illes Balears. Les anàlisis d'àmbit local no deixen de ser recerques sobre Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa i Formentera i, per tant, un tribut al coneixement dels fenòmens que s'esdevenen en un espai concret, però amb cabuda en medis més amplis. Per tal que l'adjectiu «local» que les defineix, més enllà de referenciar una limitació geogràfica, no es converteixi en determinant d'una suposada escassesa de rigor científic i d'un caràcter anecdòtic i erudit, d'acord amb la connotació negativa de vegades atribuïda a aquests estudis, és d'una importància cabdal que les jornades es dotin d'un comitè científic rigorós i plural, que sigui garant de la qualitat de les aportacions. D'aquí l'especial interès del Departament a contribuir especialment a potenciar aquest aspecte, característic d'un compromís compartit per la Universitat i els organitzadors de les diverses jornades. Per altra banda, és destacable l'atractiu i la rebuda social que tenen aquests estudis dins l'àmbit local. Es conformen com a espai dialèctic entre la comunitat científica i el conjunt de la societat, i exerceixen de pont entre el saber i la comunitat. Per als investigadors locals, també representen una oportunitat per fer públiques les recerques i contribuir tant al coneixement científic com al popular. La forta empenta
A lo largo de la Baja Edad Media, las ciudades de la Corona de Aragón obtuvieron de los soberanos... more A lo largo de la Baja Edad Media, las ciudades de la Corona de Aragón obtuvieron de los soberanos varios recursos para abastecerse de cereales y, en especial, de trigo. Uno de ellos fue la concesión real generalmente conocida como Vi vel gratia, la cual les permitía apoderarse de los cargamentos de vituallas ajenas en casos de necesidad ex-trema. Dicho privilegio, aplicado al transporte marítimo de cereales, supuso la autorización de prácticas anterior-mente consideradas como piráticas, ahora amparadas por disposiciones reales circunscritas a las épocas de carestía. Aun así, tales actividades fueron la base de conflictos, especialmente entre las ciudades marítimas de la Corona. Palabras clave: trigo, piratería, corso, abastecimiento municipal, conflictividad marítima.
Throughout the Late Middle Ages, the cities of the Crown of Aragon obtained by the sovereign several resources to stock up on cereals and especially wheat. One of these was the royal grant generally known as Vi vel gratia, that allowed them to seize shipments of foreign victuals in cases of extreme need. That privilege, applied to maritime transport of grain, involved the authorization of practices previously considered as piratical, now protected by provisions of the King applied only in times of famine. Even so, such activities were the basis of conflicts, especially between the maritime cities of the Crown. This article analyzes the use of this royal grant by the great coastal cities of the Crown of Aragon –notably Barcelona, Valencia and Mallorca– in order to ensure their own supply by sea, particularly during dearth. The strategy deployed to this effect is, in fact, a form of institutionalized violence, legally sustained thanks to the support of the Aragonese kings from the first third of the fourteenth century. As can be seen, the objective that legitimated this type of action carried out by the cities was, ultimately, the need to ensure the supply of consumer goods –and especially wheat– to the population. However, it is difficult to think that the adoption of this type of measures would respond exclusively to the solidarity of the agents of the local power. Rather, we are dealing with coercive formulas
used by urban elites to safeguard their interests in a context of conflict, such as the Mediterranean world, during the two last centuries of the Middle Ages. Likewise, the use of these strategies by the urban powers, supported by the officers of the king, became a cause of conflicts between the authorities of Barcelona, Valencia and Mallorca.
Throughout the Late Middle Ages, the cities of the Crown of Aragon obtained by the sovereign several resources to stock up on cereals and especially wheat. One of these was the royal grant generally known as Vi vel gratia, that allowed them to seize shipments of foreign victuals in cases of extreme need. That privilege, applied to maritime transport of grain, involved the authorization of practices previously considered as piratical, now protected by provisions of the King applied only in times of famine. Even so, such activities were the basis of conflicts, especially between the maritime cities of the Crown. This article analyzes the use of this royal grant by the great coastal cities of the Crown of Aragon –notably Barcelona, Valencia and Mallorca– in order to ensure their own supply by sea, particularly during dearth. The strategy deployed to this effect is, in fact, a form of institutionalized violence, legally sustained thanks to the support of the Aragonese kings from the first third of the fourteenth century. As can be seen, the objective that legitimated this type of action carried out by the cities was, ultimately, the need to ensure the supply of consumer goods –and especially wheat– to the population. However, it is difficult to think that the adoption of this type of measures would respond exclusively to the solidarity of the agents of the local power. Rather, we are dealing with coercive formulas
used by urban elites to safeguard their interests in a context of conflict, such as the Mediterranean world, during the two last centuries of the Middle Ages. Likewise, the use of these strategies by the urban powers, supported by the officers of the king, became a cause of conflicts between the authorities of Barcelona, Valencia and Mallorca.
Projects by Victòria A. Burguera i Puigserver
Conferences and Workshops by Victòria A. Burguera i Puigserver
De la liberación a la reconstrucción familiar: el papel de las aljamas musulmanas de Cataluña, Valencia, Aragón y Navarra en la liberación de cautivos. In: XII COLOQUIO INTERNACIONAL Minorías y desigualdad en la España medieval y moderna (siglos XIV-XVII): Lastres y horizontes. Universitat de Val..., 2025
Verso uno sfruttamento delle risorse marittimo-terrestri nell'area aragonese-maiorchina: infrastrutture portuali e preparativi navali nel Basso Medioevo. In: Tirreno/Adriatico Due mari a confronto: ambienti, geografie, ecosistemi. Giovedì 6 e Venerdì 7 novembre 2025, 2025
Curso online "El abastecimiento de los ejércitos en la Edad Media y sus efectos sobre la población rural y urbana. Madrid, IH - CSIC,, 2025