In January 2008, Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat published the study on banditry and delinquency in Andorra in the 16th century, written by the Danish historian, Lars Martí Pohle.

Pohle was born in Rudkøbing, Denmark in 1969. He studied history and ethnology at the University of Copenhagen and graduated in 1996. He moved to Andorra in 1997 to live with his Andorran wife. The book is the result of two years of research sponsored by the Andorran Government.

The legal documents represent an immense, magnificent source to be able to find out about life in past times. In Andorra, from 1600 to 1640, more than 850 people had criminal proceedings started against them. Through thousands of legal documents, we will get to know the characteristics of the numerous crimes, transgressions and conflicts. We will learn about their causes and see how justice worked and which criteria, guidelines and rules were applied, in addition to the sentences and the punishments and the background to them.

We find out about people we would otherwise never have heard of: Catherina Foresta: whose daughter was brutally abused by her husband and Catherina who was accused on three occasions of being a witch; Andreu Cerdanya: an incompetent forger of coins who introduces us to the criminal underworld; Jeronima Francesa: a poor shepherd’s prostitute; Catherina Lluïsa: abused and a procuress; Joan Scuderi: a highwayman and the head of a small faction; Joana Call: accused of being a witch in an extraordinarily fascinating process; Lo Cabellut, Andreu Roca and Simón Pefarrer: bandits whose paths crossed in a curious, brutal way. In addition to many other young people and adults, men and women of the modern period in the valleys of Andorra.

Attached documents:

• Table of contents
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