Lo Rey d'Aragó no'ns fa sinó greuges e vilanies!: Papat i casa d'Aragó a la Crònica de Muntaner (II)

The aim of this article is to study the vision that the Ramon Muntaner?s Crònica offers us
of the relationship between the papacy and the sovereigns of the House of Barcelona, focusing
in particular on the chapters that cover the wars in Sicily after the death of Peter II (1285). While
adopting a comparativist viewpoint, the author proposes a reading of Muntaner?s text in the
light of contemporary chronicles and existing documentation, which enables us to ascertain to
what extent the ideology of the Peralada chronicler influenced the form of the narrative of these
episodes. Thus he studies the not in the least innocent presentation in the Crònica of the
events between the signing of the Treaty of Anagni (1295) and the Peace of Caltabellota (1302),
which shamelessly leaves out one of the most important aspects of the communications between
the Crown of Aragon and the Holy See in this period, that is, the alliance forged by James II
of Aragon with Pope Boniface VIII and the princes of the House of Anjou against his brother
Frederick of Trinacria. One whole section of the study is devoted to this royal personage and,
in particular, to his campaigns against Robert of Anjou, the King of Naples, and Pope John
XXII. Analysis of the chosen extracts seems to show that, although Muntaner often presents a
Holy Father that wishes to rectify the mistakes made by his predecessor Martin IV, the Crònica
does not completely abandon the image of a pope who, by his decisions, consciously or unconsciously
acts against the interests of the House of Aragon. Moreover, the chronicler makes
no bones about reproaching the Church for its hostility to Sicily, which resulted in the death of
thousands of believers and the squandering of precious resources which could have been spent
on a more pious cause. Naturally, Muntaner contrasts this hostility with the sincerity and fervour
with which the House of Aragon is ready to defend the interests of Christianity, as shown
by the expedition of James the Just against Almeria.