Battle of Portopí facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Portopí |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Conquest of Majorca | |||||||
 Creu de Montcada (Tomás Vila, 1886), monument to the two fallen nobles in the battle. |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Crown of Aragon | Almohad Caliphate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Jaime I | Abu Yahya | ||||||
The Battle of Portopí happened on September 12, 1229. It was a big fight between the Almohad army, who controlled the island of Majorca, and the Christian army. King James I the Conqueror led the Christian army. Their goal was to take Majorca and add it to the Crown of Aragon.
The battle took place in the mountains of Sierra de Na Burguesa. This area is between what is now Santa Ponsa and Palma de Mallorca. It was the second important battle in King James I's plan to conquer Majorca.
Contents
Getting Ready for Battle
King James I had tried to take Majorca before, but it didn't work. This time, his army landed in Santa Ponsa bay on September 10. They quickly set up their forces to start the invasion.
On that same day, they had their first big fight with the Muslim forces. The Christians won this first clash. After the fight, they set up camp for the night.
That evening, King James I learned that the Muslim governor, Abu Yahya, had gathered his troops. They were coming from the capital to meet the Christians. The king warned his men to be ready for a possible surprise attack.
The Battle Begins
Historians say that on the morning of September 12, two Christian nobles, Guillermo de Montcada and his nephew Ramón, argued with another noble, Nuño Sánchez. They argued about who would lead the army into battle.
Some stories say the Montcadas rode ahead without waiting for Sánchez. They went towards the enemy, forcing the rest of the army to follow. Other stories say King James I himself told the Montcadas to lead the attack.
What is certain is that Guillermo and Ramón Montcada started fighting the Muslim army. This happened in the mountains, which were then called Sierra de Portopí. This was the start of the main battle.
The Montcadas attacked the Muslims at the bottom of the mountains. At first, the Christians seemed to be winning. But then, they were surrounded by many more Muslim soldiers. The two Montcada nobles died in the fight, along with others. It is said they were captured and beheaded. The Bishop of Barcelona, Berenguer de Palou, told the king about their deaths.
King James I didn't know about their deaths yet. He followed the same path with the rest of his army. He wanted to join the Montcadas and fight together. He met the enemy higher up in the mountains.
During the battle, a strong group of Muslim horsemen attacked. They forced Nuño Sánchez's troops to retreat. King James I famously shouted, Vergonya, cavallers, vergonya! This means "For shame, Knights, shame!" He said this because some of his Catalan troops showed fear.
By the end of the day, after many fights in different parts of the mountain, the king and his army defeated the Muslims. The Muslims went back to the city of Majorca. The Christians gained an important spot in the mountains. From there, they could see the capital city. They rested and spent the night in a place called Bendinat. Local stories say this name comes from the Catalan words Bé hem dinat, meaning "We have eaten well."
What Happened Next
On Thursday, September 13, the Christian camp was made stronger with trenches. The navy, which was in La Porrassa, moved to Portopí. There, they captured several Muslim ships. Part of the fleet also anchored near the city.
On Friday, September 14, the Aragonese men buried the Montcadas. The burial ceremony was held in the Bendinat mountains. It was next to a pine tree that stood until 1914. People called it the Pine of the Montcadas.
The Battle of Portopí was very important for taking the island. After this battle, there were no more big fights in the open fields. The Christian army immediately began to surround the city of Majorca. Most of the Muslim army was inside the city. Taking the city was the final step to controlling the island.
Monuments and Memorials
Several monuments in Majorca remember the first part of the island's conquest.
- The Montcada Cross: In 1887, a monument called the Creu de Montcada ("Montcada Cross") was built. It stands where the two nobles, Guillermo and Ramón Montcada, are believed to have died. This spot is along the old road from Palma to Andrach, now part of the Paseo Calviá. The monument was designed by Tomás Vila. It has a stone base and a large Gothic cross. The cross shows the traditional Bars of Aragon, a symbol of the Crown. One side of the base has the Montcada family's coat of arms. The other side shows the dates of the event.
- Shrine of the Sacred Stone: In 1929, a building called the Ermita de la piedra sagrada (Shrine of the Sacred Stone) was built. It is in a Neoromanesque style. This shrine holds a stone that was used as an altar for the first mass the conquerors held before their first battle.
- Cross of the Landing: Also in 1929, the Creu del Desembarcament ("Cross of the Landing") was opened in Santa Ponsa. This monument was also designed by Tomás Vila. Its base has carvings that show eight different parts of the island's conquest, including the Battle of Portopí.
|
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Portopí para niños
