248 Ortu
2.5 The Resistant giudicato
For the giudici of Arborea, the feudal yoke of the Crown of Aragon, which they
had rashly accepted in 1323, soon became unbearable. However, the sovereigns
of Aragon did show the giudici of Arborea respect and warm favor, at least
until 1352, when Peter IV disappointed Mariano’s hopes for territorial expan-
sion by conceding ownership of Gallura di Terranova to his brother, Giovanni
d’Arborea. Giovanni was already the lord of Bosa and Planargia, and his do-
minions threatened to become Aragon’s wedge in the giudicato of Arborea.
The two brothers were at odds over their territories in Sardinia and Mariano
besieged Giovanni in Bosa, captured his brother, and cast him into jail.
This feud was a sign that, by this point, the giudice of Arborea was indif-
ferent to the honors that Peter IV had, up until then, been bestowing without
compensation. In 1353, the governor of Sardinia, Bernat de Cabrera, awkwardly
invited Mariano to appear before him in order to clarify some of his obligations
as vassal. But how could the king of Arborea be expected to answer to any au-
thority other than the sovereign of Aragon himself, or at least its Infante? The
Cronaca of Peter the Ceremonious relates that Cabrera extolled his admoni-
tions and handed down a mandate to the consort, Timbors de Rocaberti, who
left him threatening a storm.48
In October 1353, Mariano survived the rebellion of Alghero and advanced
to attack Aragon’s positions in the south of the island, towards Cagliari and
Iglesias. Alghero’s fall did not discourage the giudice, who, now allied with the
Doria, forced the sovereign of Aragon into a rather dishonorable truce. At the
next convocation of parliament in 1355, Mariano, who did not participate in
person, was not offered any salve for his wounded pride. A little less than ten
years later, he resumed hostilities and continued them without interruption
until his death in 1376.
Scholars have long called the war initiated by Mariano against Aragon a “re-
bellion,” but these days they are more likely to view it as armed resistance to
Aragon’s occupation of Sardinia. The resistance was certainly late in coming,
but it cannot be reduced to a violation of the pledge of fidelity to the king of
Aragon. After all, a feudal pact is always an act of reciprocity: if one of the par-
ties stops agreeing, the pact comes to an end, with the final judgment resting
in arms. Would Mariano have been retrospectively accused of a felony for his
decision to take up arms, even if it was within his rights? A mere felony would
not have roused the great esteem that was granted to Mariano, who was lauded
48 Giuseppe Meloni, L’Italia medioevale nella Cronaca di Pietro IV d’Aragona (Cagliari, 1980),
p. 97.