The Castle of the Extended Family

The castle's lineage starts in 958, when Count Ramon III of Pallars ceded it to Berenguer. However, investigations suggest that it was probably not conquered during the Alarbs before the 11th century. In 1012, the castle and the town of La Guàrdia were given to Santa Maria de Gerri by the Counts of Pallars Jussà. In 1051, the castle and the town were conveyed by their lords, Miró and his wife Gueraua, in exchange for Susterris, owned by the Count.

In 1072, Arnau Mir de Tost donated the castle and the town to his daughter Valența, wife of the Count of Pallars Jussà, and his grandson, who would become future Count. However, due to its strategic value, it was soon reclaimed by King Joan I in 1270. Despite the royal domain, it remained linked to the lordship of Mur, which managed to obtain royal recognition for it to have a bailiff. From the 14th to the 19th century, the castle was a royal fief in the hands of the Mur (Berenguer Artús de Mur, Simó de Mur, Dalmau de Mur, etc, were lords).

In 1381, the castle was sold to Berenguer d'Abella, a man of confidence of the Barcelona court, baron of Abella. This sale forced the king to compensate with other castles, allowing the castles of Mur to expand their possessions to the west.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons