Early Maritime Law in Barcelona

Brief history of Jaume I of Aragon:

Jaume I, the Conqueror, was born in Montpellier (today in France's territory) in 1213 and passed away in Valencia (today belonging to Spain) in 1276. He was awarded his nickname after he conquered Mallorca in 1229, Valencia in 1232 and Ibiza in 1235. He was count of Barcelona, Sir of Montpellier and King of the Crown of Aragon (which constituted the territories of Valencia, Catalonia, Aragón in today's Spain, and Rossellon in today's France, being Barcelona the capital city of the Kingdom).

He was keen on expanding the boundaires of his Kingdom overseas, and after conquering the islands of Mallorca and Ibiza, he enacted a set of maritime laws and rules in order to establish a suitable platform to trade with other territories such as Tunis, Morrocco and Egypt, where he exported rags and clothes to import back wool, leader, cereals and even slaves. He later on established two maritime transport lines, fristly, the eastern mediterrean line, trading with Alexandria, Palestine and Byzantium; and, secondly, the western mediterranean line, trading with the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. These trading realtions turned out to be so intense and successful that his son, Pere (to be Peter the Great) married Constança of Sicily thus engrossing the territories of the Kingdom, in detriment of the French, also interested in the island.

Discover the roots of Maritime Law in these four unique pieces of legislation drafted in Barcelona by Jaume I (James I) of Aragon:

- Barcelona Navigation Act 1227

- Grant of Trade Privileges to Barcelona 1232

- Improvement of Harbor Facilities in Barcelona 1243

- Barcelona Maritime Code 1258

- The Consulate of the Sea, Llibre del consolat del mar (link to Mr. Shados translation)

Other Early Maritime Law:

- Hamurabi's Code of Laws (circa 1780 B.C.)

- Sumerian Laws Handbook (circa 1700 B.C.)

- The Laws of Manu (Manusmriti) (circa 1500 B.C. to 200 A.D.)

- Justinian's Digest (529 - 565 A.D.)

- Maritime Ordinances of Trani (1063 A.D.)

- Port of Arles: The Navigation Code  (1150)

- The Rules of Oleron (circa 1266)

- Declaration Respecting Maritime Law, Paris (16 April 1856)