During the Middle Ages the territory of Ilercavonia found itself located at the confluence of the kingdoms of Valencia, Catalonia and Aragon. Since that time, and until the mid-20th century, the Diocese of Tortosa would give a certain basic recognition to the people of this ancient region who, despite having had no historic political representation of their own, share common geographic, economic, cultural and linguistic ties. The traditional Aragonese parishes of the Diocese of Tortosa, however, were segregated during General Franco's dictatorship, following the Concordat of 1953 between the Francoist regime and the Vatican.