Bona crusade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Bona Crusade |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Crusades | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Hafsid Dynasty |
 Crown of Aragon |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz II | Martin the Humane | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3,000 cavalry 15,000 infantry |
13 galleys 77 ships 5,000 men |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| unknown | unknown | ||||||
The Bona Crusade, also called the Annaba Crusade, was a military attack. It happened in the summer of 1399. The King of Aragon, named Martin the Humane, led this attack. He fought against the Hafsid sultanate. This sultanate was a Muslim kingdom in North Africa. The crusade aimed to get revenge for earlier attacks.
Why the Crusade Happened
In 1398, pirates from North Africa attacked a town called Torreblanca. They captured many people and even a holy item. This made King Martin of Aragon very angry. He decided to strike back. He first ordered an attack on Dellys, another North African town.
A large fleet of 70 ships gathered in Ibiza. About 7,500 soldiers, called crusaders, joined this fleet. They sailed in August 1398. They successfully reached Dellys and attacked it. Around 1,000 villagers were killed.
After this attack, the fleet sailed towards Avignon. They wanted to help Pope Benedict XIII. He was being attacked by a group led by Geoffrey Boucicaut. However, the ships could not get close enough to help directly. They did manage to arrange a three-month break in the fighting. The next year, King Martin decided to attack again. This time, his target was Bona, which is now called Annaba.
The Attack on Bona
King Martin the Humane gathered a new fleet. It had 6 galleys and 54 other ships. Another group from Valencia added 7 galleys and 23 more ships. They all met in Mahón. King Martin set sail on August 21, 1399.
The fighting began on September 1. The next day, most of the soldiers landed from the ships. But the people of Bona had been warned. Merchants from Majorca had told them about the coming attack. So, the city was ready. They had many fighters prepared to defend it.
The crusaders managed to capture a small fort near the city. However, they could not take the main city. The attack was stopped. After this failure, the ships from Valencia and Majorca left. They sailed back to their home ports. The crusade ended without a victory for King Martin.
What Happened Next
The Bona Crusade was not successful. Because of this failure, King Martin the Humane had to sign a peace treaty. He made this agreement with Abu-Faris Abd-al-Aziz, the Hafsid ruler. The treaty was signed on May 15, 1403. However, this peace did not last very long.
See also
In Spanish: Cruzada de Bona para niños
