Battle of Martorell (1114)

Once freed from the presence of El Cid in Valencia, the Almoravids were able to begin campaigns towards the Kingdom of Aragon and the Catalan counties. In 1114, Muhammad ibn Aisha and Muhammad ibn al-Hajj, governors of Zaragoza and Valencia, respectively, led an army from Valencia through Lleida via Seo de Urgel and Segarra to the plain of Barcelona. They then attacked Bages causing substantial damage to the Monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. Concurrently, the Almoravids of the Balearic Islands landed at the mouth of the Besòs River attacked Barcelona and destroyed Sant Adrià de Besòs and Sant Andreu de Palomar. == Battle ==

As the Almoravids were returning to their kingdoms laden with booty, they were attacked in an ambush near Martorell by the combined armies of Barcelona, Urgell and Cerdanya led by Ramon Berenguer III. Also participating in the battle were the Christian forces from the fortress at Martorell which had been previously evacuated by Udalard Ramon de Rosanes during the Almoravids northern march. 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. == Citations ==

• Cervera Fras, M ª José, (1999), El reino de Saraqusta, Zaragoza: CAI, ISBN 84-88305-93-1 • Corral, José Luis, (1998), Historia de Zaragoza. Zaragoza musulmana (714-1118), Zaragoza: Ayto. de Zaragoza y CAI, ISBN 84-8069-155-7 • Guichard, Pierre; Soravia, Bruna; (2005), Los reinos de taifas : fragmentación política y esplendor cultural, Málaga: Editorial Sarriá, ISBN 84-95129-92-2 • Huici Miranda, Ambrosio, (2000), Las grandes batallas de la reconquista durante las invasiones africanas, Granada: Editorial Universidad de Granada, ISBN 84-338-2659-X • Sobrequés, Santiago (1985), Els Grans Comtes de Barcelona, Barcelona: Vicens-Vives, Edition 4ª, ISBN 84-316-1805-1 • Villacañas Berlanga, José Luis (2006), La formación de los reinos Hispánicos, Espasa Calpe SA, ISBN 84-670-2257-4