These findings and historical context (1325-1370) suggest Reynard des Fonoll was personally aquainted with Don Juan Fernàndez de Heredia (1310-1396) even before the latter became Grand Master of the knights of Saint John. On February 3, 1332, a contract was drawn up between des Fonoll and the abbot of the monastery of Santes Creus in Tarragona, for works on the cloister and the refectory. Des Fonoll’s contribution (1332 and 1341) was in building a large part of the cloister with large windows and possibly skylights.[1, 2]. Between 1351 and 1362 he worked in Santa Maria de Montblanc.[1] or possibly longer. What is documented is that immediately after the Black Death had killed approximately one third of Europe (including operative masons) the English mason des Fonoll was appointed magister operis of the church of Santa Maria de Montblanc.[3] In 1362 he became the architect of the Cathedral of Tarragona and, according to the sources, remained as such until 1373 and possibly beyond. His input was during the second Gothic reform of the cathedral. It was a spectacular and innovative reform.[1] De Heredia (a young Knight of Saint John of Jerusalem first appeared in the former Knight Templar Castles of Villel (1328) and Alfambra (1333?) near Teruel, but he had to wait until the death of Sancho de Aragón in 1346 to obtain the position of castellán de Amposta, near Tarragona.
Aragon 3
Don Juan Hernandez de Heredia
These findings and historical context (1325-1370) suggest Reynard des Fonoll was personally aquainted with Don Juan Fernàndez de Heredia (1310-1396) even before the latter became Grand Master of the knights of Saint John. On February 3, 1332, a contract was drawn up between des Fonoll and the abbot of the monastery of Santes Creus in Tarragona, for works on the cloister and the refectory. Des Fonoll’s contribution (1332 and 1341) was in building a large part of the cloister with large windows and possibly skylights.[1, 2]. Between 1351 and 1362 he worked in Santa Maria de Montblanc.[1] or possibly longer. What is documented is that immediately after the Black Death had killed approximately one third of Europe (including operative masons) the English mason des Fonoll was appointed magister operis of the church of Santa Maria de Montblanc.[3] In 1362 he became the architect of the Cathedral of Tarragona and, according to the sources, remained as such until 1373 and possibly beyond. His input was during the second Gothic reform of the cathedral. It was a spectacular and innovative reform.[1] De Heredia (a young Knight of Saint John of Jerusalem first appeared in the former Knight Templar Castles of Villel (1328) and Alfambra (1333?) near Teruel, but he had to wait until the death of Sancho de Aragón in 1346 to obtain the position of castellán de Amposta, near Tarragona.