Carcassonne

Who holds it

Name

Raymond Roger Trencavel

Title

Viscount of Carcassonne

Since

1194

Confidence

high

Lord in 1200

Raymond Roger Trencavel, from the castle in the Cite; the bishop holds the cathedral of Saint-Nazaire and his own rights.

How things stand that morning

The viscount's seat.

Charter

Not pinned; the townsmen of the bourgs have consuls by the crusade years (as usually stated).

Communities

A Cathar bishop of Carcassonne beside the Catholic one (campaign notes); Jews (as usually stated).

Militia

The townsmen and the viscount's knights; in August 1209 the Cite falls when its water runs out.

Walls and castle

The late Roman wall of the Cite, the Trencavel castle (Chateau Comtal) and the cathedral of Saint-Nazaire; the outer ring of walls is later.

Trade and crafts

Cloth and the Aude crossing; the Toulouse-Narbonne road (as usually stated).

Where the sources disagree

Evidence: The Cite and its lords are certain; institutions in 1200 are not.

Primary sources for Trencavel

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

• Deeds of the Counts of Barcelona, Anonymous (monks of Santa Maria de Ripoll) (first version 1162 to 1184; continued in the later 13th century; final version 1303 to 1314). The house chronicle of the counts of Barcelona.
• The Great Book of Fiefs, Various; compiled by Ramon de Caldes for Alfonso II of Aragon (compiled 1192 to 1194). The register of the count-king's feudal rights, finished a few years before 1200 and in use at Peter II's court: some 900 charters of homage, convention, oath, sale and marriage arranged by county and lineage, covering Catalonia, Roussillon, Cerdanya, Pallars, Urgell, the Carcassonne and Beziers lands of the Trencavels, Provence and Aragon.