The Frankish conquest of Catalonia brought about the establishment of an aristocratic group in counterbalance to the great mass of the population. This aristocracy arose from a merging of the indigenous noble families in the Pyrenees and the members of the Hispano-Gothic nobility. Together with the counts and viscounts, these aristocrats formed the governing class. They were the warlords, fully equipped militarily with cavalry, equipment and armaments. They exercised administrative and judicial power in their counties, from which they received revenue. In the eleventh century they were the prime movers of the feudal revolution and were the main beneficiaries of the social changes.
