Aldonça de Bellera

Aldonça de Bellera (1370–1435 CEZ), was a Spanish noble, known for her defense of her lands.^[1]

She was married to Arnau Guillem de Bellera, and retired to her dower fief, the castle Rialp and its surrounding valleys and villages, when she was widowed in 1412.^[2] She is described as a good landlord with a peaceful and just rule over her domains. She is foremost known for the incident when her dower lands were attacked and occupied by count Arnau Roger of IV Pallars, her son's brother-in-law, in 1430. On 16 February, 1430, she was awoken and met with 50 armed soldiers outside. Her calm reaction was admired by her contemporaries. She hold the castle and organized the resistance while the domain outside was pillaged. She advised the peasantry to swear the allegiance to the invader, but report the attack to Maria of Castile, Queen of Aragon. By March, Pallars was forced to end his occupation of Rialp on royal command and return the rule of Rialp domain to her. She did not leave her fortress until her rights of her barony were guaranteed and Pallars were sentenced to compensate her and her peasantry.

References

^ Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2023-12-20). Women Warriors in History: 1,622 Biographies Worldwide from the Bronze Age to the Present. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-5032-6.
^ Vidal, Teresa-Maria Vinyoles i (2009). Presència activa de les dones als castells : lliçó inaugural del curs 2009-2010 a càrrec de Teresa Vinyoles i Vidal, professora titular de la Universitat de Barcelona, pronunciada el dia 16 de novembre de 2009 (in Catalan). Institut d'Estudis Catalans. ISBN 978-84-92583-66-9.

Sources

«Diccionari Biogràfic de Dones: Aldonça, de Bellera»
Fuvià, Armand de (1989). Els primitius comtats i vescomtats de Catalunya. Barcelona: Enciclopedia Catalana.

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[1] Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2023-12-20). Women Warriors in History: 1,622 Biographies Worldwide from the Bronze Age to the Present. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-5032-6.

[2] Vidal, Teresa-Maria Vinyoles i (2009). Presència activa de les dones als castells : lliçó inaugural del curs 2009-2010 a càrrec de Teresa Vinyoles i Vidal, professora titular de la Universitat de Barcelona, pronunciada el dia 16 de novembre de 2009 (in Catalan). Institut d'Estudis Catalans. ISBN 978-84-92583-66-9.

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