Boni homines in Northern Iberia

The term boni homines was widely used in early medieval charters in Europe to refer to trusted people who gave oaths or were called to give evidence or from whom judges were chosen. Despite the common heritage, in Iberian texts the term is very rare before the late tenth century, when it was used both very generally to signify the presence of acceptable people but also much more specifically to refer to individuals (often named) who had a practical and distinctive role in judicial process or in concluding and validating transactions. In court they are particularly associated with intercession to get penalties reduced and in other kinds of meeting with fixing prices and distributing property. There is much to suggest that the people referred to as boni homines in court cases were aristocrats, rather than the local worthies one might expect. This chapter explores whether or not the functions of the boni homines of northern Iberia were differentiated by social status and how far they were different from their Italian and other western European counterparts.