This work, published by Viena in 2025, delves into a crucial moment for the Tarragona regions at the beginning of the modern era. The book, with a foreword by the mayor of Vila-seca, Pere Segura, and the Culture councilor, Manuela Moya, contextualizes the figure of Pere de Cardona and his political and territorial influence.
“"Pere de Cardona, five hundred years ago, knew how to read geography and knew how to act upon geography. Politically, we would say now."
Through the analysis of the purchase of Vila-seca from the Olzina family by Archbishop Pere de Cardona in 1525, Pujals offers an overview of the territorial connections and intellectual links that marked the beginning of modernity. The work explores Mediterranean disputes, European balances, and the spread of Erasmian ideas in Catalonia, as well as agrarian transformation and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Kies family in the 17th century.
The historical narrative is based on rigorous documentary research conducted by Pujals in archives such as the Historical Archive of Tarragona, the Archdiocesan Archive, the Chapter Archive of Tarragona Cathedral, and the Ancient Collections of the University of Barcelona. The volume includes historical maps, current photographs, and a documentary appendix with their transcriptions, enriching the reader's understanding.
This publication adds to the trajectory of Joan Maria Pujals, who has cultivated both essay writing and an interest in the history and people of Camp de Tarragona and the Terres de l'Ebre. His previous work includes books such as La lluna de Nisan, Presència de Catalunya, and Seqüències d’art, in addition to critical editions of authors like Ramon Muntanyola and Artur Bladé i Desumvila.
