The Battle of the Puig of 1237, also known as the Battle of the Puig de Santa Maria, the Battle of the Puig de Enesa, or the Battle of the Puig de Cepolla was a battle of the Iberian
Reconquista
The ' (Spanish, Portuguese and Galician for "reconquest") is a historiographical construction describing the 781-year period in the history of the Iberian Peninsula between the Umayyad conquest of Hispania in 711 and the fall of the Nasrid ...
and of the Aragonese Conquest of Valencia.
The battle took place in August 1237, pitting the forces of the
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of B ...
, under the command o
Bernat Guillem I d'Entença, against the forces of the
Taifa of Valencia
The Taifa of Valencia () was a medieval Moorish taifa kingdom which existed, in and around Valencia, Spain during four distinct periods: from 1010 to 1065, from 1075 to 1099, from 1145 to 1147 and last from 1229 to 1238 when it was finally co ...
, under the command of
Zayyan ibn Mardanish
Zayyan ibn Mardanish or Zayán Ibn Mardanix (b. ?, Onda – d. 1270, Tunisia) also known as ''Zahén'' or ''Çaèn'', was the last king of the Taifa of Valencia before it fell to the Kingdom of Aragon in the Reconquista campaign led by James I of ...
. The battle resulted in a decisive Aragonese victory and the conquest of
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
by the crown of Aragon.
Context
The
Almohades
The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fo ...
had successfully integrated the
Emirate
An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...
s of the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
together with those in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
into a somewhat unstable political entity. The Almohad governors of
Balansiya, Zayd Abu Abd Allah Muhammad and
Zayd Abu Zayd
Zayd Abu Zayd (ابو زيد, 1195 – 1265/1270) was the last Almohad governor of Valencia.
He succeeded as governor of Valencia to his uncle Abū `Abd Allāh Muhammad. At the death of the Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur, he gained complete auto ...
were able to act with complete autonomy, including giving titles of kingship. They never exercised this right by coined money or renouncing their fealty to the Almohad Caliphate or to its emperor. After the Almohad defeat at the
Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa
The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, known in Islamic history as the Battle of Al-Uqab ( ar, معركة العقاب), took place on 16 July 1212 and was an important turning point in the ''Reconquista'' and the medieval history of Spain. The Christ ...
, the empire disintegrated and fractured in smaller kingdoms called
taifas
The ''taifas'' (singular ''taifa'', from ar, طائفة ''ṭā'ifa'', plural طوائف ''ṭawā'if'', a party, band or faction) were the independent Muslim principalities and kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain), re ...
. The most important of these were the
Nasrid Kingdom of Granada
)
, common_languages = Official language:Classical ArabicOther languages: Andalusi Arabic, Mozarabic, Berber, Ladino
, capital = Granada
, religion = Majority religion:Sunni IslamMinority religions:Roman C ...
or Emirate of Granada, the
Hafsid
The Hafsids ( ar, الحفصيون ) were a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Berber descentC. Magbaily Fyle, ''Introduction to the History of African Civilization: Precolonial Africa'', (University Press of America, 1999), 84. who ruled Ifriqiya (western ...
Taifa of Tunisia, the Banu Zian
Taifa of Algeria, and
Marinid
The Marinid Sultanate was a Berber Muslim empire from the mid-13th to the 15th century which controlled present-day Morocco and, intermittently, other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Spain) a ...
controlled
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
.
In 1224,
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
called on his nobles from
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
and
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
to initiate the conquest of
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
controlled Balansiya, entering the area through
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
.
Zayd Abu Zayd
Zayd Abu Zayd (ابو زيد, 1195 – 1265/1270) was the last Almohad governor of Valencia.
He succeeded as governor of Valencia to his uncle Abū `Abd Allāh Muhammad. At the death of the Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur, he gained complete auto ...
promptly asked the Aragonese monarch for a truce which he accepted in return for one fifth of the income from Balansiya and
Mursiyya. During the summer of 1225, James I attempted to take the castle at
Peñíscola
Peníscola () or Peñíscola (), anglicised as Peniscola, is a municipality in the Province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Spain. The town is located on the Costa del Azahar, north of the Serra d'Irta along the Mediterranean coast. It is a p ...
by laying siege to it. That siege was ultimately unsuccessful as the Aragonese nobles abandoned it.
By 1228, an indigenous Valencian-Muslim rebellion led by
Ibn Hud
Abū ’Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf ibn Hūd al-Judhamī (Arabic: محمد بن يوسف بن هود, died 1238), commonly known as Ibn Hud, was a taifa emir who controlled much of al-Andalus from 1228 to 1237. He claimed to be a descendant of ...
, gained enough support to take the city of
Madina Mursiyya and to dominate the regions of
Orihuela
Orihuela (; ca-valencia, Oriola ) is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 33,943 inhabitants at the beginning of 2013. The mun ...
,
Dénia
Dénia ( es, Denia) is a historical coastal city in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, and the capital and judicial seat of the ''comarca'' of Marina Alta. Denia's historical heritage ha ...
,
Gandia
Gandia ( es, Gandía) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar (or ''Costa dels Tarongers''), south of Valencia and north of Alicante. Vehicles can acce ...
,
Xàtiva
Xàtiva (, es, Játiva ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km west ...
, and
Al-Yazirat Suquar. The rebellion further laid siege to Balensiya itself, albeit unsuccessfully due to the menace of a relief force from the
Kingdom of Castile
The Kingdom of Castile (; es, Reino de Castilla, la, Regnum Castellae) was a large and powerful state on the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region. It began in the 9th centu ...
. Ibn Hud retired to Madina Mursiyya without taking Balensiya.
The pact between the
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
king and Abū Zayd caused many Muslims to switch their allegiance in favor of
Zayyan ibn Mardanish
Zayyan ibn Mardanish or Zayán Ibn Mardanix (b. ?, Onda – d. 1270, Tunisia) also known as ''Zahén'' or ''Çaèn'', was the last king of the Taifa of Valencia before it fell to the Kingdom of Aragon in the Reconquista campaign led by James I of ...
, the grandson of Abu al-Hajjaj, thinking that Abū Zayd had betrayed them and abandoned
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. Abū Zayd fled Valencia and headed north while Zayyan triumphantly entered the city in the winter of 1229 without proclaiming himself king. From Madina Mursiyya, the anit-Almohad rebel, Ibn Hud, laid siege to Valencia, pressuring Zayyan into abandoning the city.
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
, who had recently conquered
Majorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean.
The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
in 1229, decided to try once again to conquer the
Taifa of Valencia
The Taifa of Valencia () was a medieval Moorish taifa kingdom which existed, in and around Valencia, Spain during four distinct periods: from 1010 to 1065, from 1075 to 1099, from 1145 to 1147 and last from 1229 to 1238 when it was finally co ...
.
The Campaign for Valencia
In 1235, the
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of B ...
was conducting attacks in the area around
Balansiya at Albalat and Cullera, but the Christian army was forced to retire. On 25 June 1235,
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
laid siege to the castle at
Foios
Foios is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Horta Nord in the Valencian Community, Spain. It has a population of 7,342 ( INE 2019).
Name
According to Gaspar Juan Escolano, the name ''Foios'' comes from Latin ''Fundus'' which means "Inherita ...
on the outskirts of Balansiya. The Muslims fighting for
Zayyan ibn Mardanish
Zayyan ibn Mardanish or Zayán Ibn Mardanix (b. ?, Onda – d. 1270, Tunisia) also known as ''Zahén'' or ''Çaèn'', was the last king of the Taifa of Valencia before it fell to the Kingdom of Aragon in the Reconquista campaign led by James I of ...
, who were forced to retire to the south, destroyed the fortifications at
El Puig
El Puig (), officially El Puig de Santa Maria since 2012 (also known as El Puig d'Enesa or El Puig de Cebolla), is a village situated 15 km north of the city of Valencia in the comarca of Horta Nord, Spain. Its name means "hill" in Valencian) ...
.
James I met with the dethroned Emir
Abū Zayd in
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
to establish a new pact between them. Instead of his signature, the document was stamped with Abū Zayd's crest, an eagle and the Castilian motto: ''Sciello de Ceit Buceit nieto de
mir alMomenin''. The date was set at 28 May 1236 and it stipulated that a fourth of the territory of Valencia would go to Abū Zayd upon the conquest and that Abū Zayd and his descendants would declare themselves the vassals of James I and of any children he had with
Violant of Hungary
Violant of Hungary ( hu, Jolán; ca, Iolanda or Violant d'Hongria; es, Yolanda or Violante de Hungría; c. 1215 – c. 1251) was the queen of Aragon from 1235 until 1251 as the second wife of King James I of Aragon. A member of the Hungarian Ho ...
. It was at this time that Abu Zayd had converted to Christianity and adopted the name Vicens Bellvis. He married a woman from
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
named María Ferrandia. Some sources incorrectly cite one "Dominga López".
In the documents from 1236, the
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
and Aragonese forces are already preparing for their eventual attack on Balensiya. On 13 October 1236, the cohorts of Monzón attempted the conquest. On a document dated to 28 October issued in
Lérida
Lleida (, ; Spanish: Lérida ) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida.
Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It is also the capital city of the Segrià comarca, as ...
, James I proclaimed that once the city of Valencia was conquered, he would donate to its church, saying: "''apud Montesonum in curia generali quam convocavimus pro facienda exercitus contra mauros''". The same day he promised to turn the city's central mosque into a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
church. On 13 November, James I issued a decree stating that once the city was taken, the church of Valencia would become a dependent of the
See of Tarragona. In further preparation for Valencian life after the conquest, James I decreed that the provincial master for the Order of the Temple would have the power to mint coinage in its territories.
The Campaign in Palancia
After the
Siege of Burriana
The siege of Burriana was one of the battles that occurred during the Conquest of Valencia by James I of Aragon. Burriana was an important Muslim city, being the capital of La Plana, Valencia. It was known as the "Green City". The city was ...
and the Siege of Cullera,
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
positioned himself for the final push into the
Province of Valencia
Valencia ( ca-valencia, València) is a province of Spain, in the central part of the autonomous Valencian Community. Of the province's over 2.5 million people (2018), one-third live in the capital, Valencia, which is also the capital of the au ...
. He gathered his forces at Monzón on 28 October 1236 where he gained approval from
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX ( la, Gregorius IX; born Ugolino di Conti; c. 1145 or before 1170 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decre ...
to name the conquest an official
Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...
by order of
Papal Bull on 2 February 1237. After encamping in
Montpellier
Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...
from the end of 1236 through the beginnings of 1237, the army concentrated on
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
and followed the Palancia River, taking
La Vall d'Uixó
La Vall d'Uixó (, also known as ''Vall-llarga'', ''Vall del Duc'' or simply as ''La Vall''; es, Vall de Uxó) is a town situated in eastern Spain, in the Valencian province of Castelló. La Vall is located 25 km to the south of the provi ...
,
Nules
Nules is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Castellón (Valencian Community). Located 18 km to the south of the province's capital, at 13 m over sea level, it has 13,750 inhabitants (2010 data), living in Nules Town, Nules Beach and ...
, and Almenara. They further took the towns of
Bétera
Bétera () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Camp de Túria in the Valencian Community, Spain. With 23.647 inhabitants, it is the second most populous town in the Camp de Túria shire (INE 2018), in the second zone of the Valencia metropol ...
,
Paterna
Paterna is a city and a municipality in the province of Valencia in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is located northeast of the comarca of '' L'Horta de Valencia'', northwest of the inland suburbs of Valencia, and on the left bank of the riv ...
,
Moncada, and finally
El Puig
El Puig (), officially El Puig de Santa Maria since 2012 (also known as El Puig d'Enesa or El Puig de Cebolla), is a village situated 15 km north of the city of Valencia in the comarca of Horta Nord, Spain. Its name means "hill" in Valencian) ...
on 25 June 1237 which was situated close to the city of Balensiya.
The Aragonese forces rebuilt the fortifications of El Puig, building a wall of mud and stone that stretched all the way to the sea. After two months, the defensive works were ready and the castle was occupied by a garrison of 100 knights and many more peasants commanded by
Bernat Guillem I d'Entença, a relative of the king.
According to the Muslim historian
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun (; ar, أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي, ; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732-808 AH) was an Arab
The Historical Muhammad', Irving M. Zeitlin, (Polity Press, 2007), p. 21; "It is, of ...
, from 16 September to 4 September 1236,(Reverse Time Travel) the Christians had attacked the
Saracens
file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century Germany in the Middle Ages, German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings, to refer ...
, building seven encampments, two of which were concentrated against Balansiya,
Al-Yazirat Suquar, and
Xàtiva
Xàtiva (, es, Játiva ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km west ...
. While Castilian forces took the city of
Córdoba under the command of the Castilian king, James I took power over the majority of the Castilians in his area of operations. After building a castle at Enesa to facilitate his besieging of Balansiya, he returned home.
The battle
Zayyan ibn Mardanish
Zayyan ibn Mardanish or Zayán Ibn Mardanix (b. ?, Onda – d. 1270, Tunisia) also known as ''Zahén'' or ''Çaèn'', was the last king of the Taifa of Valencia before it fell to the Kingdom of Aragon in the Reconquista campaign led by James I of ...
mustered the people of
Xàtiva
Xàtiva (, es, Játiva ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km west ...
and the
Júcar
left
The Júcar () or Xúquer () is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico. Its most i ...
and advanced towards
El Puig
El Puig (), officially El Puig de Santa Maria since 2012 (also known as El Puig d'Enesa or El Puig de Cebolla), is a village situated 15 km north of the city of Valencia in the comarca of Horta Nord, Spain. Its name means "hill" in Valencian) ...
. According to the chronicles of James I, his force numbered around 600 cavalry units and 11,000 peasants or foot soldiers.
He attacked the Aragonese forces on 15 August 1237. According to the Muslim historian
Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari
Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Maqqarī al-Tilmisānī (or al-Maḳḳarī) (), (1577-1632) was an Algerian scholar, biographer and historian who is best known for his , a compendium of the history of Al-Andalus which provided a basis for the scholar ...
, the attack occurred shortly after James I had left El Puig for
Huesca
Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, almo ...
.
Ibn al-Abbar
Ibn al-Abbār (), he was Hāfiẓ Abū Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn 'Abdullah ibn Abū Bakr al-Qudā'ī al-Balansī () (1199–1260) a secretary to Hafsid dynasty princes, well-known poet, diplomat, jurist and hadith scholar from al ...
, who had been Abū Zayd's secretary when he presided over Valencia, became Zayyan's scribe after Aby Zayd left the city. He recorded the battle as having happened around noon. The Muslim Almohad forces under Zayyan were routed, and a great many of their soldiers were slain in the action. Amongst the Almohad dead was the preacher Aburrebii ibn Salim Elcolaí "the wise". When news reached
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
of the victory, he traveled to the site of the battle, where he remained a few days, after which time he returned to
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
.
This decisive Aragonese victory had a great influence over the overall fight for the control of Balensiya. After the battle, the number of Christian forces in the region swelled, forcing many Muslims to flee south.
Consequences
Whilst
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror ( es, Jaime el Conquistador, ca, Jaume el Conqueridor; 2 February 1208 – 27 July 1276) was King of Aragon and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276; King of Majorca from 1231 to 1276; and Valencia from 1238 to 1276 ...
was in Aragon, the commander of the Aragonese army at
El Puig
El Puig (), officially El Puig de Santa Maria since 2012 (also known as El Puig d'Enesa or El Puig de Cebolla), is a village situated 15 km north of the city of Valencia in the comarca of Horta Nord, Spain. Its name means "hill" in Valencian) ...
,
Bernat Guillem I d'Entença, died of wounds received during the action. This greatly disheartened the nobles, especially those of Aragon.
At the council of magnates, Blasco I of Alagonia, speaking on behalf of many other barons, voiced that it would be better to evacuate El Puig and temporarily abandon the gains made during that portion of the campaign.
James I refused to follow the advice of the nobles and proceeded to continue the campaign. The king again returned to El Puig de Santa Maria on 24 January 1238, bringing with him the son of Bernat Guillem d'Entença, Guillem d'Entença who was about 10 to 11 years of age at the time. In front of all the nobles present and the representatives of the military orders, the king knighted Guillem and pronounced him the heir to all the titles and lands of his father. He further provisionally appointed Berenguer de Entenza as a captain of the castle.
The gestures made by the king did little to halt the opposition to the continuation of the campaign. On the contrary, once knowing that the king was en route, a large portion of the garrison at Puig met secretly and agreed to abandon their position. One of the
Dominican friars who resided in the garrison denounced the plot against the king. The following day, he gave a sermon to the nobles of the castle who there after promised to continue the fight until victory.
Once back at the Puig, James I received a message from Zayyan offering all the castles from the
Turia River
The Turia or Túria ( ca-valencia, Riu Túria ; es, link=no, Río Turia ; la, Tūria) is a river in Spain, which has its source in the Montes Universales in the mountain ranges of the northwesternmost end of the Sistema Ibérico, Teruel pro ...
to
Tortosa
Tortosa (; ) is the capital of the ''Catalonia/Comarques, comarca'' of Baix Ebre, in Catalonia, Spain.
Tortosa is located at above sea level, by the Ebro river, protected on its northern side by the mountains of the Cardó Massif, of which Buin ...
and
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
, the construction of a lavish palace for the king in
Saïda Province
Saïda ( ar, ولاية سعيدة) is a province ('' wilaya'') of Algeria, named after its capital.
History
The province was created from parts of Oran department, Saïda province and Saoura province in 1974.
In 1984 El Bayadh Province an ...
and the payment of ten thousand
besantes annually in return for James' promise to abandon his attack of the capital. James I of Aragon responded negatively to the offer, citing the changed circumstances, and proceeded with his conquest.
References
* The information on this page was translated from its Spanish equivalent.
Bibliography
*
*
{{coord, 39, 35, N, 0, 18, W, region:ES_type:event_source:kolossus-cawiki, display=title
Puig
Puig () is a word of Catalan origin, meaning "hill". Hence, in Catalan-speaking areas, it appears in the names of numerous people and geographical features:
Geographical features
* Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia
* Puig de l'Àliga (Sant ...
Puig
Puig () is a word of Catalan origin, meaning "hill". Hence, in Catalan-speaking areas, it appears in the names of numerous people and geographical features:
Geographical features
* Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia
* Puig de l'Àliga (Sant ...
Puig
Puig () is a word of Catalan origin, meaning "hill". Hence, in Catalan-speaking areas, it appears in the names of numerous people and geographical features:
Geographical features
* Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia
* Puig de l'Àliga (Sant ...
Puig
Puig () is a word of Catalan origin, meaning "hill". Hence, in Catalan-speaking areas, it appears in the names of numerous people and geographical features:
Geographical features
* Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia
* Puig de l'Àliga (Sant ...
1237 in Europe
13th century in Al-Andalus
13th century in Aragon
Puig
Puig () is a word of Catalan origin, meaning "hill". Hence, in Catalan-speaking areas, it appears in the names of numerous people and geographical features:
Geographical features
* Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia
* Puig de l'Àliga (Sant ...