Diocesan Dominion

In Diocesan Dominion, Thomas Barton examines these dynamics through the comparative lens of two neighboring dioceses, Lleida and Tortosa, each formed from conquered Muslim territory in the mid-twelfth century. Using rich archival records, Barton reconstructs how bishops and their clergy strategized to enhance their authority over diocesan lands by engaging with landlords, military orders, and monasteries. He observes that, while these litigants sometimes invoked authorities such as the papacy or lay rulers and appealed to rigid privileges or legal guidelines to help resolve conflicts, they usually formulated compromises, sharing jurisdiction and resources. Observing commonalities and contrasts among these cases, Barton demonstrates the locally contingent nature of episcopal authority and shows how Western Christendom developed variegated and flexible ecclesiastical administrative frameworks long before its early-modern globalization.

The first book in any language to reconstruct the postconquest history of the dioceses of Lleida and Tortosa, Diocesan Dominion challenges default assumptions about episcopal practices during the high and later medieval periods and will be essential reading for all scholars in the field.

Thomas Barton is Professor of History at the University of San Diego. He is a fellow of the Medieval Academy of America and the author of several award-winning books, including Constructing Christendom: Conquest and Diocese Formation in Medieval Iberia, Victory’s Shadow: Conquest and Governance in Medieval Catalonia, and Contested Treasure: Jews and Authority in the Crown of Aragon, the last also published by Penn State University Press.

History

           European

           History of Religion

           Medieval

           History of Religion

Medieval and Early Modern Studies

           Medieval History

           Medieval Religion