Cervera

Municipality

Cervera

Flag

Coat of arms

Cervera

Location in Catalonia

Coordinates: 41°39′56″N 1°16′17″E / 41.66556°N 1.27139°ECoordinates: 41°39′56″N 1°16′17″E / 41.66556°N 1.27139°E

Spain

Catalonia

Government

• mayor

Ramon Royes Guàrdia (2015)

Area

• Total

55.2 km² (21.3 sq mi)

Elevation

548 m (1,798 ft)

Population (2014)

• Total

9,039

• Density

160/km² (420/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Cerverí, cerverina

Postal code

25200

Website

www.cerverapaeria.cat

Cervera (Catalan pronunciation: [sərˈβɛɾə], locally: [seɾˈβeɾɛ]) is the capital of the comarca of Segarra, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia. The title Comte de Cervera is a courtesy title, formerly part of the Crown of Aragon, that has been revived for Felipe, Prince of Asturias.

In the year 1026, three peasant families built the first settlement in the comarca of Segarra, as in those days it was uninhabited. Later on, the Barcelona counts committed ownership of those lands to those people. By this, the counts wanted to establish their power in the area, as the Segarra was at that time the border between Christian and Muslim territories, thereby establishing the first fortress (castrum Cervarie).

When the Western border was established at Lleida at the year 1149, Cervera grew up into terraced houses on the other side of the border. The inhabitants were freed from the feudal lord's abuses and with the royal privileges, the town gradually became established first as a Confraria (1182), then Consolat (municipal organ) (1202), and from 1267 up to the present, as a Paeria.

The most significant episode was the signature, in 1452, of the nuptial agreement between Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile (the Spanish Catholic Monarchs).

In 1702, the town got the title of city from the king Philip V, for which the townspeople thanked the king. The king bestowed this title because in a small way during the war, and then more strongly after the war, the local people had demonstrated support for the king's politics.

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Wikipedia