Historian Uncovers 16th-Century Andorra Documents Revealing Armed Daily Life

Historian Carles Gascón has uncovered more than 150 documents from 16th-century Andorra, forming the basis of the forthcoming *Diplomatari del segle XVI*, the penultimate volume in a long-running series. He presented a preview yesterday in the government's exhibition hall.

The collection reveals a rugged daily life in Andorra, far from any idyllic image. Residents commonly carried weapons such as crossbows, flintlocks, arquebuses, shotguns, swords, and lances, prompting repeated ordinances to ban them outside the home. One such order also prohibited procuresses from operating, banned gambling and drinking on weekdays, and allowed shepherds to arm themselves during transhumance into Catalan territories for flock protection.

A 1522 border dispute nearly sparked conflict between Sant Julià de Lòria and Civís parishes. Boundary crosses marking grazing meadows mysteriously appeared defaced or displaced, shifting fields from one side to the other. Parish assemblies agreed to restore them without identifying culprits, opting for compromise over confrontation.

Other incidents include a French farmhand in Sant Julià de Lòria caught stealing a shotgun and cloak; he confessed under interrogation by the bailiff and received 20 public lashes before expulsion. In 1582, 35 armed Andorran men with flintlocks marched to La Seu d'Urgell to free a compatriot accused of horse smuggling, with the outcome unclear.

Trade privileges dominate the archive, issued by the Bishop of Urgell, the Counts of Foix, and later King Henry IV of France. A standout is Henry IV's 1598 edict, barring his forces from seizing Andorran food or lodging without permission and authorising locals to display the Foix cows and Béarn stripes on their coat of arms for protection—the first such record, now enduring symbols.

Witchcraft trials feature colourful neighbourly insults like "malgarnaga," "modorro," and "ignorant." Gascón has transcribed one-third of the material and expects completion by summer 2028. The project, coordinated previously by Jordi Guillamet and Susanna Vela, began with earlier volumes in 1988 and continued through the 18th century last published in 2012.