Viscounty of Àger (original) (raw)

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Viscounty of Àger_Vescomtat d'Àger_ (Catalan)
1094–1413
of Àger Coat of arms
Status Feudal territory of the Crown of Aragon In personal union with the County of Urgell (1236–1327) (1336–1413) In personal union with the Kingdom of Aragon (1327–1336)
Capital Àger
Common languages Old Catalan
Religion Roman Catholicism
Government Viscounty
Viscount of Àger
• 1094–1132 Guerau I del Baix Urgell i II de Girona (first)
• 1408–1413 James II (last)
• Present holder Alexander Jou y Sambucy de Sorgue
Historical era Middle Ages
• Broke off the County of Urgell 1094
• Merged with the Crown of Aragon 1413
Preceded by Succeeded by County of Urgell Crown of Aragon
Today part of Spain

The Viscounty of Àger (Catalan: Vescomtat d'Àger) was a feudal jurisdiction that branched off the County of Urgell in 1094.

Castle of Àger

Towards 1030 Arnau Mir, Lord of Tost, conquered Àger from the saracens. The latter however, fought back and reconquered Àger shortly thereafter. Following a period of long-drawn battles Arnau Mir finally conquered Àger in 1047, driving out the saracens from the region for good. Arnau became connected to the viscounts of Urgell through his sister's marriage.

By 1094, when the Catalan nobles were preparing for the conquest of Balaguer further south, Àger became the centre of the newly created Viscounty of Lower Urgell (Vescomtat del Baix Urgell). This viscounty was given to Guerau II Viscount of Girona, the grandson of Arnau Mir, Lord of Tost. In his will, written in 1132, this viscount refers to himself already as Viscount of Àger.

Your current holder is prince Alexandre de Sambucy de Sorgue, member of the french noble house of Sambucy