Recomposer la domination sociale au sein de l'universitas : une étude comparative de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence et L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue dans le sud de la France - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2023

Reshaping local domination within the universitas: a comparative study of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Southern France

Recomposer la domination sociale au sein de l'universitas : une étude comparative de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence et L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue dans le sud de la France

Résumé

One of the main pitfalls and current criticisms targeting democracies worldwide is the domination of an oligarchy, the upper class, the “1%”. Nonetheless, the social content of democracy is not a new issue and can be addressed towards political participation in medieval towns. Smaller communities tend to be less studied since few archives are available, even more so regarding their sociological composition. Yet, some well-chosen examples in medieval Southern France can give a good insight into political domination. The archives of Saint-Remy-de-Provence, part of Provence County, point to growing elite domination. More precisely, the minor nobility and public figures used to be de facto ruling members of the universitas, the political body of the community. First, the nobility rejected the universitas until the end of the 13th century. Then, during the 1330 decade, both groups officialized their co-domination with the creation of a “council”, a restraint group of people organizing the universitas and representing it towards the County administration, while the parlamentum was less and less summoned. L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a town located east of Avignon, in the Comtat Venaissin, was also dominated by local elites, especially minor nobility. Their domination changed through time, from co-lordship and consulate at the beginning of the 13th century to a relative decline after the Earl of Toulouse settled his administration. They were compelled to share power with notables, even though their ongoing domination was still observable in the statutes written at the beginning of the 14th century. However, one archive shows signs of political dissent. In 1301, a part of the population, led by the probi homines, the public figures, rebelled against the nobility and took control of the city for some days. This unrest highlights how intricate political relationships were between the community, the papal administration and the bishop of Cavaillon. The comparison between the two communities contributes to a better understanding of political participation in different regional contexts, under the domination of minor nobility and public figures. More precisely, political domination was reshaped at the beginning of the 14th century, since minor nobilities in both cases were compelled, in different ways, to share power with probi homines, within the framework of a larger participation of the community.
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Dates et versions

hal-04314655 , version 1 (05-04-2024)

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  • HAL Id : hal-04314655 , version 1

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Simon Rozanès. Recomposer la domination sociale au sein de l'universitas : une étude comparative de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence et L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue dans le sud de la France. The Voices of the People. Democratic Participation in European Urban Centers in the Late Middle Ages, Marco Alexandro Ribeiro (CH-UL - Cultural Encounters and Intersecting Societies) ​, Jun 2023, Lisbonne, Portugal. ⟨hal-04314655⟩
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