In 1114, the governors of the taifa kingdoms of Zaragoza and Valencia, Muhammad ibn al-Hajj and Muhammad ibn Aisha, respectively, led a raid into the Catalan counties and ravaged the territory. As the raiders were returning to their kingdoms, however, they were surprised in an ambush and defeated in battle by the armies of the Catalan counties of Barcelona, Urgell and Cerdanya.
Background
Following the fall of Valencia in 1102, the Almoravids began to expand into the Upper March. In 1110, the Almoravids conquered Zaragoza, the last remaining taifa in the Iberian Peninsula.
Three years later in 1113, the Catalan counties along with the Republic of Pisa and the County of Provence invaded the Balearic Islands. Realizing that a large part of the armies of the Catalan counties were on expedition in the Mediterranean Sea, al-Hajj and ibn Aisha invaded the Catalan counties.
Expedition
At the outset, the Almoravid forces drove through Lleida, the Pla d'Urgell and Segarra. Next they attacked Bages causing substantial damage to the Monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. In addition, a separate Almoravid army from the Balearic Islands landed at the mouth of the Besòs River and attacked Sant Adrià de Besòs and Sant Andreu de Palomar.
As the Almoravids were returning to their kingdoms laden with booty, however, they were ambushed in a ravine near Martorell by the combined armies of Barcelona, Urgell and Cerdanya. Al-Hajj and most of his army were killed. The remainer of the Almoravids were pursued down the coast of Salou. Although ibn Aisha managed to escape, he was seriously injured and died shortly thereafter.
Aftermath
One year later in 1115, the Almoravids laid siege to Barcelona. After 20 days, however, Catalan reinforcements commanded by Ramon Berenguer III arrived and forced the Almoravids to end the siege. That same year, the Christians managed to conquer the Balearic Islands only to lose the islands back to the Almoravids some months later.
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General References
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