PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Corporate Body

Preferred form:

Consejo de Aragón (España)Alternative forms (other languages) Other forms

Fechas de Existencia:

from 1494-11-19 to 1707-07-15

History:

It was created by the Royal “Pragmática” of Ferdinand the Catholic on the 19th of November 1494 in Madrid. It can be considered a split of the existing Royal Council since there was a Chancellery, an Audience and a Royal Council as well as a new Council that followed the King, in each state of the Crown of Aragon. Its constitution, its functioning and its members appear in the foundation document. It was organised as a court of justice.

A meeting of the whole Council or of its “Juntas delegadas” was needed to solve the general matters of the Crown of Aragon or any of their reigns. For particular matters (personal, local, etc.), the intervention of some members, normally, the representatives of the affected region, were enough. They formed the “Juntas restringidas”, known as the Chamber of Aragon.

It was abolished by the Decrees of Nova Planta in 1707. Its ministers became part of the Chamber of Aragon within the Council of Castile.

Internal Structure-Genealogy:

The Council was composed by several members: it was presided over by a Vice-chancellor, followed by a General Treasurer, who leaded the administration of the “fisco regio”. Then, there was a Prothonotary, Keeper of the Seals and personal director of the Chancellery, and six Regents (two for Catalonia, two for Aragon and two for Valencia; one was added for Sardinia in 1626).

In addition, there were Secretaries for the different regions of the Crown of Aragon as well as a series of other employees, such as the “Alguacil Mayor”, the “Contador”, the “Receptor”, the “Relator”, etc.

After the late incorporation of the Order of Montesa (Orde de Montesa) to the Crown, Philip II ordered its administration to the Council of Aragon. Thus, the figure of the General Counsel of Montesa was created, and assimilated in one of the regents of the Council of Aragon, with habit of the Order, in charge of which was its own universal Government.

Places

Aragón (reino, jurisdicción antigua, España)

Cerdeña (reino, jurisdicción antigua, Italia)

Mallorca (reino, jurisdicción antigua, España)

Valencia (reino, jurisdicción antigua, España)

Cataluña (principado, jurisdicción antigua, España)

Aragón (corona, jurisdicción antigua, España)

Subjects

Justicia

Gobierno

Mandates/Legal Sources

Description:

-Creación: Real Pragmática del rey Fernando II de Aragón de 19 de noviembre de 1494 ((C, Reg. 3601, ff. 67 y ss.).

-Supresión: Decretos de Nueva Planta del rey Felipe V (15-07-1707).

La organización de la Cancillería determina, no solo la organización burocrática del Consejo, sino también su estructura documental. Existía una división de los asuntos en función del Reino al que afectase, en cuatro Secretarías: de Valencia, Aragón, Cataluña y Cerdeña y Mallorca (que abarcaba todas las islas Baleares), a las que se añadió la de la orden de Montesa. En poder del Protonotario estaba la tramitación y custodia los negocios que afectaban a más de un territorio, así como la tramitación y custodia de los originales de los acuerdos y otros documentos. Tras la supresión del Consejo los asuntos de la antigua Corona de Aragón se asignan a dos Consejos ya existentes, el Consejo de Castilla y la Cámara de Castilla.