Battle of Barcelona (1359) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Barcelona |
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| Part of War of the Two Peters | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Crown of Castile.png){kind=small} Kingdom of Portugal.svg){kind=small} Emirate of Granada |
 Crown of Aragon |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Peter I of Castile | Peter IV of Aragon | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 81 naus, 41 galleys, 3 galiots, 3 lleños |
10 galleys and a nau, several small vessels, several catapults and bombards |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Barcelona (June 9–11, 1359) was a big sea fight. It happened near Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. This battle was between the navies of the Crowns of Aragon and Castile. It was part of a larger conflict called the War of the Two Peters.
Months before the battle, King Peter I of Castile gathered a huge fleet in Seville. This fleet had 128 warships. It included royal ships, vessels from his vassals (loyal nobles), and ships sent by his allies, the kings of Portugal and Granada. The fleet was led by a skilled admiral named Egidio Boccanegra.
King Peter I of Castile himself was on board, along with many important noblemen and knights. The Castilian fleet left Seville in April. It sailed along the coast of Valencia and captured the Castle of Guardamar. On June 9, it arrived in front of Barcelona.
King Peter IV of Aragon, who was in Barcelona, quickly organized the city's defense. He worked with two counts, Bernat III of Cabrera and Hug II of Cardona. The Aragonese had a smaller fleet: ten galleys, one large ship called a nau, and several smaller boats. These ships were filled with crossbowmen. They also had many catapults and bombards (early cannons) on shore.
Even though they were outnumbered, the Aragonese fleet fought bravely. They pushed back the Castilian attacks in a two-day battle. This battle was special because it was one of the first times naval artillery was used. A bombard was placed on the Aragonese nau. Its shots badly damaged one of Peter I's biggest ships.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The War of the Two Peters Begins
The "War of the Two Peters" started in 1356. It began when some Aragonese ships captured two ships from Genoa. This happened near Sanlúcar de Barrameda. At that time, Genoa was fighting against Venice and Aragon.
King Peter I of Castile was there and felt insulted. He demanded that the Genoese ships be set free. But the Aragonese captain refused. Peter of Castile then complained to King Peter IV of Aragon. When he didn't get what he wanted, he declared war.
Both kingdoms started a fierce land war. But in 1358, the sea battles began. A Castilian army landed at Guardamar in Valencia. King Peter I led them, and they quickly took the town. However, the town's castle held out.
Then, a storm hit and damaged most of the Castilian fleet. Six hired Genoese ships were driven ashore. Peter I had to burn them and return to Castile. This was a defeat for him.
Peter I's Big Fleet
The next year, Peter I of Castile planned a much bigger attack. Many new ships were built in Seville. More ships were requested from Cantabria. The kings of Portugal and Granada also sent ships to help Peter I.
In total, the Castilian fleet had 128 vessels. This included 28 royal galleys and two smaller galiots. Eighty more were large ships called naus from the Atlantic coast. Portugal sent ten galleys, and Granada sent three. A ship from Venice was also hired.
Peter I sailed on a huge nau that had been captured earlier. This ship was made even stronger with three special towers, called castles. This massive fleet set sail in April. It moved along the coast of Valencia and captured the Castle of Guardamar. On June 9, it reached Barcelona.
The Battle of Barcelona
Aragon's Defenses
The Aragonese forces in Barcelona's port were ready. They had ten well-armed galleys, several sailing ships, and one very large vessel. This was after Peter I's fleet appeared. The Aragonese forces were led by Bernat III of Cabrera and Hug II of Cardona.
King Peter IV of Aragon took command of his fleet. He lined up his galleys along the beach. The huge nau was placed in the middle of this line. All the ships were protected by a shallow area called "Las Tascas." This area made it hard for big enemy ships to get close.
Four large machines called brigoles were set up near the shore. They gave extra protection to the ships. Many companies of crossbowmen also reinforced the fleet. They came from the Vallès region. People from Barcelona also helped defend the city. They were organized by their jobs and stood along the coast to support the fleet.
The Fight Begins
A Castilian writer named López de Ayala said that the Aragonese placed many anchors in the water. These anchors were meant to trap Castilian ships as they came closer to attack.
Whether this was true or not, the Castilian fleet sailed into the shallow waters. A fierce battle began. When night came, Peter I pulled his ships back. The battle started again the next day at 10:00 am.
The Aragonese crossbowmen caused many injuries to the Castilian sailors and soldiers. The Aragonese artillery also damaged many ships. One of the biggest Castilian naus was hit twice by a bombard. This bombard was on the largest Aragonese nau. The shots destroyed the Castilian ship's towers and broke its mast.
What Happened Next
Castile Retreats
After the battle, the Castilian fleet split up. Some ships went to the Llobregat river to get fresh water. There, they were met by many farmers from Barcelona and Sant Boi.
Peter I then reorganized his forces and sailed to Ibiza. He started to attack its castle. Peter IV of Aragon gathered a force of 50 galleys from Collioure. He put Admiral Count of Osona in charge, with Cardona as vice-admiral.
This Aragonese fleet went to Ibiza and helped the island. The Castilian army stopped their attack and got back on their ships. Even though Peter I had more ships, he chose not to fight. He pulled back instead.
The Chase and Return
About 15 or 20 Aragonese galleys, led by Bernat de Cabrera, chased Peter I. This force then stopped at the Denia estuary. The Castilians were ready to fight there. But the Aragonese had a strong position and support from land forces. So, Peter I decided to sail back to Seville.
When Peter I arrived in Seville, he learned more bad news. His armies had been defeated on land on September 22. This was in the biggest land battle of the war, at Araviana.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla naval de Barcelona (1359) para niños
