daniel piñol-alabart 581 his articleoffers an examination of the main characteristics of Catalan wills from the later Middle Ages, with examples drawn from a variety of milieus and archives. Catalan wills developed thanks to the resurrection of Roman law, even though it had not lost its validity during the early medieval period. The difference between the earlier and later codes of law is the introduction of the sole heir, a key figure for the validity of the testament. Late medieval wills are also included. The activity of the notaries operated in urban as much as in rural environments in Catalunya, which is why this article also analyses a number of aspects of the institution of notaries in Catalunya. Above all, there can be found a continuous thread in the creation of specific books in notarial establishments; they provided a means of registering testaments, and they became one of the most common types of document in the later Middle Ages. Some of the language included in testaments is also a reflection of the mental structures of the period, in which death and a preoccupation with eternal salvation occupy a central place. For this reason, the article focuses on some of the language that is not of a juridical character. The uniqueness of some sections of the testament in comparison to other types of document requires that attention be paid to these elements. Some clauses are also discussed, however, which are fundamental to the transfer of goods. This transfer may be to a religious end, operating at almost the same level of importance as the transference of patrimony which assures the future of the testator’s family. T Abstract
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