Thomas W. Barton

This project explores the ways in which European societies conquered and colonized their frontiers, implanting in them Latin-Christian institutions, through the analysis of the Crown of Aragon’s integration from the mid-twelfth century of Muslim-ruled territory now known as New Catalonia. Thousands of previously neglected documents from diverse archival collections show how the organization, traditions, and administrative practices established in the wake of the conquest shaped the later history of the region, institutionalizing aspects of its frontier environment. This research explicates how the changing sociopolitical contexts influencing colonization along shifting frontiers enhanced localization within medieval European society.