The Internal Conflict in Spain: The Case of Catalonia

Abstract

Catalonia is one of the autonomous regions of the Spanish state. The history of this area is almost as old as the origin of Spain as an identity first and then as a state. Catalonia already existed as defined area since the 9th century and it became much stronger as a military and commercial empire during the 12th century due to the marriage of Ramon Berenguer IV, the Count of Barcelona and the Princess of Aragon Peronella, thus creating the Crown of Aragon.1 This Crown functioned as a confederation of kingdoms including eastern Spain, much of the Mediterranean and southern Italy. This independent kingdom lasted until the 15th century when King Ferdinand of Aragon married Isabel of Castile and the two kingdoms united into an early form of the Spanish state but at the same time they had to respect the institutions and rules of all the cities that are a part of the Crown of Aragon.

Keywords: Catalonia, Spain, Nationalism, Fascism

JEL Classification: B10