Conquest of Menorca
The conquest of Menorca by Catalan-Aragonese troops in 1287 led to the disappearance of the last Islamic state in the Balearic Islands . The last bastion of the Moors on the Iberian Peninsula remained the emirate of Granada , which was to last until 1492.
Overview
In 1287 Manūrqa (Menorca) was the only island in the Balearic Islands that was still under Muslim rule, but which was restricted by vassal status to the Kingdom of Mallorca .
During the crusade directed against Aragón (with the main armed conflicts in 1285), in 1285 the King of Aragón initiated a military enterprise in response, which in turn had the aim of confiscating the Kingdom of Mallorca . However, the actual operation against Menorca did not begin until January 5, 1287 under the command of Alfonso III. and was completed within 12 days. The deed of surrender was signed on January 22nd, 1287.
The surrender resulted in the dissolution of the Almohad state structures on the island, the autochthonous Andalusian population was enslaved or publicly auctioned off and replaced by Catalans, who were now subject to a feudal regime that had temporarily confiscated the lands for the Aragonese crown .
prehistory
In response to the conquest of the Kingdom of Sicily ( Sicilian Vespers ), Pope Martin IV. King Peter III. excommunicated from Aragón and installed Charles I of the Valois family as the new regent of the Aragonese crown . Then the crusade against Aragon took place between 1283 and 1286 .
In this conflict, Jacob II of Mallorca, brother of Peter III, sided with the French king. In 1283, however, the troops of the Aragonese crown had gone over to the offensive and, under Alfonso III. of Aragón, the eldest son of King Peter III., wrested the islands of Eivissa ( Ibiza ) and Mallorca from Jacob II in 1285 , while King Peter III. occupied the county of Roussillon , which belonged to the Kingdom of Mallorca .
After the enterprise against Mallorca, which ended with the conquest of Mallorca , Menorca was still the only remaining Muslim refuge. As early as 1231, in the Treaty of Capdepera , James I had allowed the autochthonous Andalusian population to remain on the island - on condition that they pay an annual tribute and assume feudal status vis-à-vis the Kingdom of Mallorca.
Preparations
Peter III von Aragon died in 1285 and his eldest son Alfons III. followed him to the throne. With the exception of Sicily, which had passed to his younger brother Jacob, he had inherited the entire kingdom. A year after conquering Ibiza and Mallorca, Alfonso III decided to incorporate Menorca into his empire. To this end, he had the Corts meet in Huesca on October 18, 1286 to raise the funds needed for the campaign. After the company had been approved by the Corts, he put together his expeditionary force, which consisted of 500 knights , 1000 crossbowmen, 1000 squires and around 30,000 Almogàvers . A contingent of troops from Navarre and one from Sicily were also attached. The fleet consisted of 40 Sicilian galleys . Outstanding personalities in the officers' staff Alfons III. were the royal lieutenant Pero Cornell III. as well as the admirals Ramon Marquet Rubí and Berenguer Mallol . Among the knights, Ermengol X. , Guillem III. d'Anglesola and Ramon Folch VI. de Cardona .
conquest
On November 22nd, 1286, the fleet left Salou and reached Palma de Mallorca within two days. The troops stayed on Mallorca for the time being to celebrate Christmas, to recruit more soldiers and to stock up on provisions. On January 5, 1287, the fleet finally cast off and set course for the island of Conills (today's Illa del Rei near Maó ).
On January 17, the troops were deployed near the port of Maó and besieged the city, which fell after a very short time. The Raʾīs Abu Umar ibn Said withdrew to the fortress of Santa Àgueda in the interior of the island. But since he saw no more escape, he negotiated with Alfons III. the handover.
surrender
On January 21, 1287 signed Abu Umar ibn Said and Blasco Ximenes d'Ayerbe , who as the deputy of King Alfonso III. acted, the Treaty of Saint Agaiz , in which Abu Umar ibn Said was allowed to withdraw into exile with 200 people of his choice. The remaining Menorcans, however, were enslaved . On January 22nd, 1287 King Alfonso III moved. then in Mādinat Minūrqa , which was later rebuilt as Ciutadella . The conquest of Menorca was thus complete.
consequences
After the death of Alfonso III. in 1295, James II regained the Balearic Islands, including Menorca. The consequence was that Menorca was incorporated into the Catalan-Aragonese crown and settled with Catalans - mainly with Eastern Catalans from the counties of Barcelona , Girona , Empordà and Roussillon ; This also explains the use of the salad article in the entire Balearic Islands and the great similarity to the Catalan dialect in the regions mentioned.
literature
- Ramon Muntaner: Chronica, o descripcio dels fets, e hazanyes del inclyt Rey don Jaume Primer . 1558.
- Aurèlia Jené: La conquesta de Manurqa el febrer de 1287.
- Joan Veny i Clar: Els dialectes catalans . 2002.