[1] The more generally accepted story is that when the Count of Barcelona was severely wounded in a battle between Charles the Bald and the Normans, the Emperor came to the wounded Count’s tent and asked what reward he could give to a warrior to whom he owed so much. The Count asked for the grant of a charge on his plain gold shield. The Emperor dipped his hand in the blood from the Count’s wound, and passed his four fingers down the shield. ‘A device gained by blood,’ he said, ‘should be marked with blood.’
[2] The Teutonic word Rik signified valiant or powerful, not rich in our sense. It was a frequent ending to names, as Theodoric, Alaric. The Ricos Hombres of Aragon bore a caldron on their arms, as a sign that they could maintain many men in the field, and they used a señera, or banner. These were ‘Ricos Hombres do Señera.’ There were also nine families of ‘Ricos Hombres’ ‘le naturaleza,’ nobles before the Moors came. These were Cornelas, Lunas, Azagras, Forcas, Urreas, Alagones, Romeos, Entenzas, Lizanas. Several Castilian nobles, especially the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, also bore caldrons on their arms.
[3] Nine miles.
[4] November 30.
[5] The chronicle of Muntaner was written in the Catalan language, and first published at Valencia in 1558, and next at Barcelona in 1562. Buchon published a French translation at Paris in 1827 in the ‘Collection des croniques nationales Françaises.’ In 1844 an Italian translation was published at Florence. Buchon published a new translation in 1848 in the Panthéon Littéraire. Dr. Lanz published a German translation in 1842 at Leipzig; and added the Catalan text in a volume published at Stuttgart in 1844. In 1860 a Spanish translation, with the Catalan text in parallel columns, edited by Don Antonio de Bofarull, was published at Barcelona. As yet there is no English translation of this charming historical narrative. It was used by Gibbon.
[6] First cousin of En Pedro III. of Aragon.
[7] Aladil =
, ‘the Just.’
[8] ‘Awake iron!’