January 2, 1387

Warning: today's episode is about sexual assault.

In the Crown of Aragon, 639 years ago, Joan wrote to the Duc de Berry about the students who got into trouble in Montpellier. He provides details that were not at all present in Violant's letter of December 25th. Those details make it clear that the students committed a rape.

This episode, while dealing with a difficult topic, provides a powerful example of how archival records produce silences and how a historian can become aware of their own blindspots.

Extra information about today's document as well as bibliographic citations are available at the webpage for this episode: https://jonathanseyfried.net/historians-notebook-s1-episodes/e9-jan2

Today’s Document:

• Subject: Joan asks the Duc de Berry to influence the treatment of the Catalan students
• Date: January 2, 1387
• Day of the Week: Wednesday
• Archival Reference Number: ACA CR R1648 f109r
• Link to PARES
• Place: Girona
• Sender: Joan
• Recipient: Duc de Berry