The Chronicles narrate events of the lives of James I of Aragon, Bernat Desclot, Ramon Muntaner and Pere el Cerimoniós.
They are among the most complete historiographical sets of documents of medieval Europe, and are valued by historians for their detailed descriptions of the social and political aspects of Catalan feudal society.
It is thus widely accepted that the chronicle constitutes an autobiography and can be attributed to James I; while the narrative belongs to no one but the king himself, this is not true of the text.
Among James' most remarkable deeds we find a highly detailed narration of the Muslim expulsion and conquest of Mallorca and Valencia.
This chronicle narrates the deeds and conquests of Catalonia and the Kingdom of Aragón during the Reconquista, from the crowning of Alfonso I until the reign of Peter II of Aragon.
Bernat also describes in detail other singular aspects and values of the time such as the importance of the chivalric spirit, of loyalty among knights, and of the horrors of war.
Apart from being the lengthiest of the four texts, this chronicle also comprises a long period in history: from James I's birth in 1208 to the crowning of Alfonso III in 1328.