La orden catalana de la Merced y su relación en la redención de cautivos: De los inicios al siglo XVIII

With the beginning of the polarization throughout the Iberian Peninsula due to two opposing religions, the old phenomenon of captivity will acquire a religious aspect. In borderlands such as early medieval Catalonia, the pressing need of getting people and souls from Muslim captivity will appear. Ultimately, the creation of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy will be fulfilling this need. This paper tries to review this redeeming Order’s development on its mission of rescuing captives since its foundation until the late xviii century, giving special attention at its peak between centuries XVI and XVIII when the consequences of Barbary privateers and the existing wars between Spain and the Ottoman Empire and its allies filled the Maghrebian cities with Christian captives of all kind of condition and class in need of being rescued.