Medievals synods of the bishopric of Mallorca

Abstract

To the indications about the origin of Christianity in the Balearic Islands, dated
in the 5th century, this text refers to the Vandal and Byzantine periods. We offer a historiographic
note on the Mallorcan synods, which are subsequent to the Catalan conquest
of 1229, and date from the first synod convened by the first bishop Ramon de
Torrella, in 1250. However, the synodal documentation, which contains five synods,
begins in 1266 and last until 1271, in the time of Bishop Pere de Morella (1266-1282).
A few canons remain without any episcopal attribution. Regarding these constitutions,
we observe that they are an application of the Council of Lateran IV, which follow
the disciplinary practice of the province of Tarragona. However, unlike their canons,
written in Latin according to general usage, the Mallorcan ones are all in Catalan,
which is a singular contribution to a Romance language. On the other hand, the synod celebrated in the middle of the Western Schism, in 1395, by Bishop Lluís de Prades i
d’Arenós, is in Latin. It deals with clerical discipline and prescribes a more humane
treatment of slaves, especially female slaves. This text is completed by a summary in
Catalan, published in the parishes.