The Consell de Cent (, meaning in English "Council of One Hundred") was a governmental institution of

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

. It was established in the 13th century and lasted until the 18th century. Its name derives from the number of its members: one hundred (). In 1249, James I created the fundamental structure of the municipal government of

: a board of advice of four members, helped by eight counselors and an assembly of ''probi homines'' (leaders), all them members of the '' mà major'' (Catalan for ''senior hand'', or the upper class formed by wealthy merchants). After several modifications, by the year 1265, the municipal organization gained its more permanent structure: the municipal authority rested on three counselors elected by a Council of one hundred individuals. In year 1335, Peter III the Ceremonious permitted the Consell de Cent to use the royal insignia of the four (red) bars. The importance of the Consell de Cent in the history and the government of the

Principality of Catalonia The Principality of Catalonia (; ; ; ) was a Middle Ages, medieval and early modern state (polity), state in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. During most of its history it was in dynastic union with the Kingdom of Aragon, constituting together ...

is supported by many examples. For instance, in year 1464 it proclaimed Peter V of Aragon (known as ''Peter the Constable of Portugal'') as

count of Barcelona The count of Barcelona (, , , ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, Usages and Catalan constitutions, of the Principality of Catalonia as Prince#Prince as generic for ruler, p ...

. Another example is the rejection by the ''Consell de Cent'' of Martin the Humane's foundation on January 10, 1401, of the General Medical School in Barcelona with the same prerogatives as the

University of Montpellier The University of Montpellier () is a public university, public research university located in Montpellier, in south-east of France. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the List of oldest universities in continuous opera ...

, because they felt this encroached on their municipal jurisdiction. This ultimately led to the creation of the

University of Barcelona The University of Barcelona (official name in ; UB), formerly also known as Central University of Barcelona (), is a public research university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was established in 1450. With 76,000 students, ...

in 1450. In the last decades of the 17th century it was represented in the (in Catalan: Conference of the Three Commons). The Consell de Cent was abolished by

Philip V of Spain Philip V (; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was List of Spanish monarchs, King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724 and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign (45 years and 16 days) is the longest in the ...

with the Decretos de Nueva Planta upon his occupation of Barcelona after the Siege of Barcelona in 1714. Since that moment, the new government of the city was controlled directly by the monarchy. A main

street A street is a public thoroughfare in a city, town or village, typically lined with Building, buildings on one or both sides. Streets often include pavements (sidewalks), pedestrian crossings, and sometimes amenities like Street light, streetligh ...

in the city of

, the ''Carrer (street) del Consell de Cent'', is named after this institution (before 1978 it was known as Calle del Consejo de Ciento, in Spanish).

References

Medieval Barcelona Principality of Catalonia Crown of Aragon Catalan symbols {{Gov-stub