Rafael Casanova

Who was Rafael Casanova?

Rafael Casanova i Comes was a Catalan jurist, supporter of the Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor as a pretender to the Crown of Spain during the War of the Spanish succession. He became mayor of Barcelona and commander in chief of Catalonia during the Siege of Barcelona until he was wounded in combat when commanding a counterattack of the Barcelona milícia at the San Peter front on the last day of siege, September 11, 1714. Recovered from his wounds after the war he continued his fight against absolutism as a lawyer and it has been claimed that he was the author of the book Record de l'Aliança feta a Jordi Augusto de la Gran Bretanya in which Catalonia reclaims to England the fulfillment of the Treaty of Genoa.