'Borrel II' (died
992) was
Count of Barcelona,
Girona, and
Ausona from
947 and
Count of Urgel from
948.
He was the son of
Sunifred II. During his reign, he employed the title ''dux Gothiæ'', or "Duke of Gothia." In 947, he retired his father to a monastery and took over the government of the Counties: Barcelona, Gerona, and Ausona. He ruled jointly with his brother
Miro I until
966. In 948, he inherited Urgel.
He married Letgarda, daughter of
Raymond Pons of Toulouse, with whom he had two sons and two daughters:
Ramon Borrell,
Ermengol, Ermengarda and Richilda. After his wifes death he married again Eimeruda of Auvergne.
He was a diplomat, not a warrior like his father. He maintained cordial relations with his most powerful neighbours: the
Franks to the north and the
Moors to the south. He exchanged many emissaries with the
Caliphate of Córdoba and confirmed a peace treaty with
Al-Hakam II. He likewise maintained good relations with the
papacy.
Borrell was also a patron of learning and culture. In
967, Borrell visited the monastery of
Aurillac and the Abbot asked the count to take
Gerbert of Aurillac with him so that the lad could study mathematics in Spain. In the following years, Gerbert studied under the direction of Bishop Atto of
Vich, some 60 km north of Barcelona, and probably also at the nearby abbey of Santa Maria de
Ripoll.
[1]
In
969 and
970, he travelled to
Rome to meet
Pope John XIII and the
Emperor Otto I in order to reorganise the ecclesiastical structure in Catalonia. This included the reinstatement of the
Archdiocese of Tarragona. The Pope persuaded Otto to employ Gerbert as a tutor for his young son, the future emperor
Otto II.
In 985 however the
Hispanic March was attacked by
Caliph Almanzor. This was the largest and most serious attack during Borrell's reign. Almanzor managed to take
Barcelona which was pillaged and sacked. Many citizens were taken prisoner by the Muslim forces. Borrell's petitions sent to
Lothair the current ,
King of France, in
Verdun were ignored. As a consequence of this, when
Hugh Capet ascended the French throne in 988 Borrell refused to pledge his fealty. As a result the bond of vassalage between the March and
France was broken. ''
De facto'' independence had begun in earnest and Catalonia became drawn into a more Iberian influence.
In 988, Borrell divided his lands between his sons, giving
Ramon Borrell his original inheritance (from 947) and
Ermengol the County of Urgel. In 992 after passing over all government roles he died.
Notes
1. Betty Mayfield, "Gerbert d'Aurillac and the March of Spain: A Convergence of Cultures"