Els Segadors

File:Els segadors.jpg "Corpus de Sang" (1640). Painted in 1910]]

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| image1 = Francesc Alió i Brea.jpg

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| image2 = Emili Guanyavents Jané.jpg

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| footer = Left: Francesc Alió, composer of the music. Right: Emili Guanyavents, author of the modern lyrics

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The original song dates in the oral tradition to 1640, based on the events of June 1640 known as Corpus de Sang ("Corpus of Blood") during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Spain, England, France and Austria, the event that started the Reapers' War or {{lang|ca|Guerra dels Segadors}}, also known as the Catalan Revolt or Catalan Revolution,{{Cite web|url=http://www.gencat.cat/catalunya/eng/coneixer-simbolsnacionals.htm|title=Generalitat de Catalunya: National symbols|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016151727/http://www.gencat.cat/catalunya/eng/coneixer-simbolsnacionals.htm|archive-date=2013-10-16}} where Catalans fought against the Count-Duke of Olivares, the chief minister of King Philip IV of Spain, and eventually led to an open war and the establishment of a Catalan Republic under French protection.

The song describes the events, an uprising of peasants due to the large and burdensome presence of the Spanish Royal army in the Principality of Catalonia, as they were required to lodge and provision the troops, thus leading to a large tension and discomfort and the outbreak of episodes such as religious sacrileges, destruction of personal properties, and rape of women by the soldiers. The second part of the song tells the arrival of the rebel reapers in Barcelona, who kill various guards, the royal officers and the viceroy of Catalonia, Dalmau de Queralt, ending with the exhortation to Catalans to take the arms, as they are at war.

In the 19th century, the text was compiled in the Romancillero Catalán, a book of folk traditions written by Manuel Milà i Fontanals. The music was standardized by Francesc Alió in 1892. Its modern lyrics were written by Emili Guanyavents, who won a competition convened by the political party Unió Catalanista in 1899, simplifying the text to three verses. At the time, the change of lyrics caused some controversy among conservative elements, as Guanyavents, coming from sectors close to anarchism, gave them a revolutionary tone.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, "Els Segadors" became one of the most relevant symbols of Catalanism and Catalonia itself, increasing its popularity during the Second Spanish Republic and the Civil War. Despite an early attempt of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan autonomous government) in 1931 to replace it with another song, "El Cant del Poble", "Els Segadors" remained highly popular, often treated by Catalan government and population as the national anthem. The dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939–1975) banned the public use of Catalan national symbolism as part of the broad anti-Catalanist policies, among them "Els Segadors". Tolerated songs, such as the "Virolai" or "La Santa Espina", were often played in its place to express Catalan identity.

After decades being use de facto, often alongside the "Cant de la Senyera", the Catalan government officially adopted "Els Segadors" as the national anthem of Catalonia on 25 February 1993, by law of the Catalan parliament. The official version was made in 1994. The new Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006 confirms this decision by its article 8.4, in which is explicitly defined as a national symbol of Catalonia, alongside the National Day and the flag.{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.cat/document/cataleg/150259.pdf |title=Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia, Article 8.1: "The flag, the holiday and the anthem are the national symbols of Catalonia, defined as a nationality by Article 1" |publisher=parlament.cat|access-date=14 September 2019 |df=dmy-all }}

{{Listen

| type = music

| filename = Segadors original version.oga

| title = c. 1900 choral a capella vocal recording (original lyrics) (verses one and fifteen)

| description = Arranged by Lluís Millet and performed by the Orfeó Català

}}

qui t'ha vista rica i plena!

Ara el rei nostre senyor

declarada ens té la guerra.

II

Lo gran comte d'Olivar

sempre li burxa l'aurella:

“Ara és hora, nostre rei,

ara és hora que fem guerra”.

III

Contra de los catalans

ja ho vegeu quina n'han feta:

seguiren viles i llocs

fins al lloc de Riudarenes,

IV

n'han cremada una església

que Santa Coloma es deia,

cremen albes i casulles

los calzes i les patenes.

V

I el Santíssim Sagrament

alabat sigui per sempre.

Mataren un sacerdot

mentres que la missa deia.

VI

Mataren un cavaller

a la porta de l'iglésia,

Don Lluís de Furrià

i els àngels li fan gran festa.

VII

El pa que no era blanc

deien que era massa negre,

lo daven an els cavalls

sols per assolar la terra.

VIII

Lo vi que no era bo

etgegaven les aixetes,

lo tiraven pels carrers

sols per a regar la terra.

IX

A presència dels seus pares

deshonraven les donzelles.

En daven part al virrei

del mal que aquells soldats feien:

X

“Llicència els he donat io

molta més se'n poden pendre”.

XI

A vista de tot això

s'és esvalotat la terra.

Entraren a Barcelona

mil persones forasteres,

XII

entren com a segadors

com érem a temps de sega.

De tres guàrdies que n'hi ha

ja n'han morta la primera.

XIII

En mataren el virrei

a l'entrant de la galera.

Mataren els diputats

i els jutges de l'Audiència.

XIV

Anaren a la presó

donen llibertat als presos.

Lo bisbe els va beneir

amb la mà dreta i esquerra:

XV

“Ont és vostre capità,

a ont és la vostra bandera?”

Varen treure el bon Jesús

tot cobert amb un vel negre:

XVI

“Aquí és nostre capità

aquí és nostra bandera.

A les armes, catalans,

que us han declarat la guerra”.}}

|I

Ah, happy Catalonia

who has seen you rich and plentiful!

Now the king our lord

has declared war on us.

II

The great count of Olivar

is always pestering his ear:

"Now is the time, our king.

now is the time to make war."

III

Against the Catalans

see what they have done already:

villages and places followed

up to the place of Riudarenes,

IV

they have burned a church

that was called Santa Coloma,

they are burning white habits and chasubles

the chalices and the patens.

V

And the Blessed Sacrament

praise be to you forever.

They killed a priest

while Mass was being held.

VI

They killed a knight

at the door of the church,

Don Lluís de Furrià

and the angels are making him a big feast.

VII

The bread that was not white

they said was too black,

they gave it to the horses

only to ravage the earth.

VIII

The wine that was not good

they turned on the taps,

they threw it in the streets

only to irrigate the land.

IX

In the presence of their parents

they dishonoured the maidens.

They gave part to the viceroy

of the harm that those soldiers were doing:

X

"I gave them a license

many more can be taken.”

XI

In view of all this

the earth has shaken.

They entered Barcelona

a thousand strangers,

XII

they come in as reapers

as we were in harvest time.

Of three guards there

the first has already died.

XIII

The viceroy was killed

at the entrance to the galley.

They killed the deputies

and the judges of the Court.

XIV

They went to prison

they are releasing the prisoners.

The bishop blessed them

with the right and left hand:

XV

"Where is your captain,

where is your flag?"

They took out the good Jesus

all covered with a black veil:

XVI

"Here is our captain

here is our flag.

To arms, Catalans,

they have declared war on you."

|{{lang|es|italic=no|I

Ay, dichosa Cataluña

quién te ha visto rica y llena.

Ahora el rey nuestro señor

declarada nos tiene la guerra.

II

El gran Conde de Olivares

siempre le hurga la oreja:

"Ahora es la hora, rey nuestro

ahora es hora que hagamos guerra".

III

Contra de los catalanes

ya véis la que han hecho:

Siguieron villas y lugares

hasta el lugar del Riu d'Arenas,

IV

han quemado una iglesia

que Santa Coloma se llamaba,

queman albas y casullas

los cálices y las patenas.

V

Y el Santísimo Sacramento

alabado sea por siempre.

Mataron a un sacerdote

mientras decía la misa.

VI

Mataron a un caballero

a la puerta de la iglesia,

Don Luis de Furrià

y los ángeles le hacen gran fiesta.

VII

El pan que no era blanco

decían que era demasiado negro,

se lo daban a los caballos

solo por asolar la tierra.

VIII

El vino que no era bueno

abrían los grifos [o espitas],

lo tiraban por las calles

solo por regar la tierra.

IX

En presencia de sus padres

deshonraban a las doncellas.

De ello daban parte al Virrey,

del mal que esos soldados hacían:

X

"Licencia les he dado yo

mucha más se pueden tomar".

XI

A la vista de todo esto

se ha alborotado la tierra.

Entraron en Barcelona

mil personas forasteras,

XII

entran como segadores

ya que estaban en tiempos de siega.

De tres guardias que hay

ya han matado a la primera.

XIII

Mataron al Virrey

a la entrada de la galera.

Mataron a los diputados

y a los jueces de la Audiencia.

XIV

Fueron a la prisión

dan libertad a los presos.

El obispo los bendijo

con la mano derecha e izquierda:

XV

"¿dónde está vuestro capitán?

¿dónde está vuestra bandera?"

Sacaron al buen Jesús

todo cubierto con un velo negro:

XVI

"Aquí está nuestro capitán

aquí está nuestra bandera.

A las armas, catalanes,

que os han declarado la guerra".}}

|}

An arrangement of "Els Segadors" appears on "Ballad of the Fallen" by Charlie Haden (1983).

Contemporary Catalan composer Jordi Savall made a version of the folk song,{{Cite web|title=CANÇONS DE LA CATALUNYA MIL·LENÀRIA. Planys & Llegendes – Alia Vox|url=https://www.alia-vox.com/en/catalogue/cancons-de-la-catalunya-millenaria-planys-llegendes/|access-date=2022-01-09|website=www.alia-vox.com|archive-date=2022-01-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109021807/https://www.alia-vox.com/en/catalogue/cancons-de-la-catalunya-millenaria-planys-llegendes/|url-status=dead}} using the original narrative (which dates back to the 17th century) combined with the modern lyrics and refrain, which were added later. The song has also been recorded and interpreted by major artists, included on albums such as Traditional Catalan Songs (Victoria de los Ángeles).

In October 2017, in the aftermath of the Catalan independence referendum, the American band A Sound of Thunder released a heavy metal variation of the anthem, using a mix of English and Catalan lyrics.https://www.asoundofthunderband.com/single-post/2017/10/05/Hola-Catalunya {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}

• Catalan nationalism
• Anthems of the autonomous communities of Spain
• Gernikako Arbola (anthem)

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• [http://web.gencat.cat/ca/temes/catalunya/coneixer/cultura-llengua/ Generalitat of Catalonia: National symbols]

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Category:National anthems

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Category:Regional songs

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Category:Culture of Catalonia

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Category:Reapers' War

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