HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE CASTLE OF QUERMANÇÓ
|
DATE
|
EVENT
|
| 1078 |
Hug
and Berenguer, sons of Ponç I of Empúries, inherit the castle
|
| 1078 |
Ponç
I moves the diplomatic archives of the county to the castle of Quermançó
for security reasons
|
| 1085 |
The
castle is mentioned in an agreement between Hug II of Empúries and
Guislabert II of Rosselló
|
| 1099 |
Dalmau
Berenguer of Quermançó is mentioned in a document
|
| 1121 |
The
term castro Carmanzono is mentioned in an old text
|
| 1128 |
War
between Ponç Hug II of Empúries and the count of Barcelona Ramon
Berenguer III
|
| 1138 |
War
between Ponç Hug II of Empúries and the count of Barcelona Ramon
Berenguer IV
|
| 1154 |
The
castle is mentioned in another agreement between the counts of Empúries
and Rosselló
|
| 1164 |
The
name castello Chermezono is mentioned in an old text
|
| 1288 |
The
castle is set under siege by the French crusaders of King Philip.
The defenders, as well as the Emporitan count, are loyal to King
Pere II
|
| 1292 |
Jaume
II decides to establish a garrison of 12 men in the castle
|
| 1333 |
The
Bishop allows Galceran of Vilarig, a knight, to build an altar in
the castle
|
| 1472 |
The
troops of Joan II conquer the castle during the Catalan Civil War
|
| 1808 |
Napoleonic
troops build an extension onto the castle to use it for the storage
of weapons and ammunition
|
| 1814 |
The
French Marshall Suchet orders the castle to be blown up during their
retreat
|
The
castle of Quermançó has always been an excellent defensive fort where
remains as ancient as Iberian and Roman times have been found.
It was the property of the Counts of Empúries. The first documented evidence dates from 1078 when the castellum de Chermanço appears in the last will of Ponç I. This Empuritan count had previously moved the diplomatic archives of the county to the castle for security reasons.
Dalmau Berenguer of Quermançó, possible grandson of Ponç I. Count of Empúries, started the dynasty of the viscounts of Rocabertí.
In 1085 Hug II of Empúries and Guislabert II of Rosselló signed an agreement where they mention the castro Karmanzono.
In 1128 the Empuritan count Ponç Hug II was attacked, defeated, and imprisoned by Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona in the castle of Quermançó. Ten years later war started again between Empúries and Barcelona but then, Ramon Berenguer IV defeated him again and they sealed peace on the demolition of the castle. However, in 1154 evidence of the castro Carmazone comes to light again.
During the crusades against Catalonia in 1288, the castle was attacked and taken by the French crusaders of King Philip, after several sieges. The defenders, as well as the Empuritan count, were loyal to King Pere II.
Three years later the French took the castle for the second time plundering and partly destroying it. Despite the castle's poor condition, King Jaume II ordered a garrison of 12 men to be established there in 1292.
It also witnessed heavy fights during the Catalan Civil War and was occupied in 1472 by troops loyal to Joan II.
Later on the Kingdom of Aragon became rulers of the county of Empúries and the castle, which from then on depended on the Duke of Cardona, now also Count of Empúries. It remained in ruins until the War of Independence. Due to its strategic position (near the coastline but protected from the cannons of the British navy) it was rebuilt in 1808 by Napoleonic troops and used for the storage of weapons and ammunition. However in the French retreat -1814 Marshal Suchet had it blown up, and it has remained this way until the present day.
Castell de Quermançó