Editing Generalitat

{{short description|Form of devolved government in the Kingdom of Spain}}

'''Generalitat''' ({{IPA|ca|ʒənəɾəliˈtat|lang}}, literally in English 'Generality') is the name of two major medieval and early modern political institutions and their modern-day analogues in [[Spain|Kingdom of Spain]]. The ancient [[Principality of Catalonia]] and the [[Kingdom of Valencia]] were ruled by Generalitats. Today, [[Catalonia]] and The [[Valencian Community]] have systems of [[self-government]] called Generalitats, and are two of 17 [[autonomous communities of Spain]].

The institution of the ''Generalitat'' dates back to the 13th century when the medieval courts of the ancient [[Principality of Catalonia]] and the [[Kingdom of Valencia]] respectively were created. The term originally referred to a delegation of members of the ''[[Parliament|Corts]]'', who oversaw the implementation of the decisions of the ''Corts'' between sessions, and is derived from the [[Catalan language|Catalan]] ''Diputació del General (de Catalunya)''. The Catalan and Valencian ''Generalitats'' were both abolished by the [[Nueva Planta decrees]], signed by [[Philip V of Spain]] at the start of the eighteenth century, and only reinstated after the death of [[Francisco Franco|Franco]] in 1975, although in Catalonia it also had a few-years existence during the [[Second Spanish Republic]] (1931-1939).

Today, ''Generalitat'' refers to the [[branches of government]], not simply the [[executive (government)|executive]]. For example, the Catalan executive is, officially, the "Government of the Generality of Catalonia" (''Govern de la Generalitat de Catalunya'': cf. Government of the Kingdom of Spain, ''Gobierno del Reino de España''), while those of the community of the Valencian Country and the Val d'Aran are known as the "Council of the Valencian Generality" (''Consell de la Generalitat Valenciana''). The only exception is the judiciary, as the courts of justice of Catalonia and Valencia belong to the Spanish judiciary, structured as unitary throughout Spain.

== See also ==
* [[Generalitat de Catalunya]]
* [[Generalitat Valenciana]]

== References ==
*{{HistCat}}

[[Category:Catalonia]]
[[Category:Valencian Community]]
[[Category:Crown of Aragon]]
[[Category:Principality of Catalonia]]
[[Category:Monarchy]]

<!-- NOT [[de:Generalität]]. In German, the Generalität is not a government but consists of the highest military officers. -->