Diocese of Urgell in the context of "Catalan counties"

Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra, is a landlocked country on the Iberian Peninsula, in the eastern Pyrenees in Southwestern Europe, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. Believed to have been created by Charlemagne, Andorra was ruled by the count of Urgell until 988, when it was transferred to the Diocese of Urgell. The present principality was formed by a charter in 1278. It is currently headed by two co-princes: the Bishop of Urgell in Catalonia, Spain, and the president of France. Its capital and largest city is Andorra la Vella.

Andorra is the sixth-smallest state in Europe, with an area of 468 square kilometres (181 sq mi) and a population of approximately 87,486. The Andorran people are a Romance ethnic group closely related to Catalans. Andorra is the world's 16th-smallest country by land and 11th-smallest by population. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres (3,356 feet) above sea level. The official language is Catalan, but Spanish, Portuguese, and French are also commonly spoken.

The Vall de Ribes is a geographic zone in the northwest of the Ripollès in the valley of the river Freser. Its largest municipality is Ribes de Freser. It also contains the municipalities of Queralbs, Toses, Planoles, Pardines and Campelles, and the sanctuary and resort of Vall de Núria.

The Vall de Ribes was historically a part of the county of Cerdanya and ecclesiastically pertained to the diocese of Urgell. This made it unlike the rest of the Ripollès, which was part of the county of Osona and the diocese of Vic. During the rule of Count Ramon Berenguer IV, it was associated with the county of Besalú. There must have been fortifications there, and both these and the comital demesne lands were enfeoffed to Galceran de Sales before 1151. The demesne was administered by (but not enfeoffed to) Ramon de Ribes in 1158, when the entire valley was inventoried. In 1162, along with Besalú, the Vall de Ribes was granted for life to Peronella, the widow of the count, and a survey of it was made. During this time, several complaints were lodged with the count, Alfons I, against Ramon, alleging that he acted independently of any higher authority. At Peronella's death in 1173, the demesne reverted to Alfons, who in 1194 granted the mills to the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. In 1198 Ramon's son and namesake was baiulus and castellan there.