La casa de Bernat de Sarrià, canonge de la Seu de Barcelona, vers 1300

Abstract

This article studies the will and inventory of goods left by a rich canon, named Bernat of Sarria, who belonged to a noble family from the surroundings of Barcelona, where his house was built. The canon had a cousin —also named Bernat—, who was a king's counsellor and a very influential person at the court. The inventory is dated the day after the canon was dead, on the 26th July 1302. It contains a large number of clothes, furniture and coins, but neither books nor weapons. The canon also possessed several servants and three slaves, fourteen decorated silver cups, twelve rings and some landed properties in Premià and Alella (villages not far from Barcelona), that produced crops of wheat, barley, wine and oil. A benefice in memory of the date of his death was constituted, with his fortune, at Saint Michael's chapel of Barcelona cathedral. This benefice was devoted to the poor and especially to nourish, for ever, a poor person who was dependent of the cathedral's Almoina. The canon destined for these two pious institutions the amount he obtained of selling his slaves.