Battle of Portopí

Creu de Montcada (Tomás Vila, 1886), monument to the two fallen nobles in the battle.

Date	12 September 1229
Location	Sierra de Na Burguesa (Majorca)
Result	Aragonese victory

Belligerents

Crown of Aragon

Almohade Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Jaime I

Abú Yahya

The Battle of Portopí (12 September 1229) was an open field military conflict between the Almohad troops that occupied the island of Majorca and the Christian army led by King James I the Conqueror with the aim of annexing it to the Crown of Aragon in order to expand their domain. It was carried out at various points in the current Sierra de Na Burguesa (formerly called Sierra de Portopí), approximately halfway between the current resort town of Santa Ponsa and the City of Majorca (present Palma de Mallorca). It was the second major battle in the campaign for the conquest of the island of Majorca initiated by the Aragonese king.

After previous failed attempts to take control of the island, the army of James I managed to anchor in the Santa Ponsa bay on 10 September and deploy forces to begin the invasion. That same day they had a first major clash with the Muslims, from which they emerged winners, and after which they encamped at the site for the night.

After being informed in the evening that the Almohad governor of the island, Abú Yahya, had regrouped his troops, and they were making their way from the capital to meet the Christians, the Aragonese monarch gave the relevant warning instructions to his men in order to avoid a possible surprise enemy attack.

Historians such as Zurita state that on the morning of Wednesday the 12, Guillermo de Montcada and his nephew Ramón on the one hand, and on the other Nuño Sánchez, argued over who would go ahead of troops that would participate in the battle that they assumed was going to take place the next day with the enemy. Zurita adds that ultimately, on that same day and without waiting for Sánchez, the Montcadas departed with their men into combat moving towards the enemy position, thus forcing the rest of the army to second them in action. According to Desclot it was the king himself who ordered the start of the raid, sending the Montcadas to go in the forefront of the troops. What is certain is that uncle and nephew were locked in fight with the hosts of the Muslim king of Majorca in the Sierra de Na Burguesa (then known as Sierra de Portopí), thus beginning the battle.

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