Raymond Berenguer III of Barcelona

Ramon Berenguer III
Statue of Ramon Berenguer III by Josep Llimona
Count of Barcelona
Reign	1086–1131
Predecessor	Berenguer Ramon II
Successor	Ramon Berenguer IV
Born	11 November 1082 Rodez, Viscounty of Rodez
Died	23 January/19 July 1131 Barcelona
Buried	Santa Maria de Ripoll
Noble family	Barcelona
Spouse(s)	María Rodríguez de Vivar Almodis Douce I of Provence
Issue María Jimena or Eixemena Almodis Berenguela or Berengaria Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona Berenguer Ramon I, Count of Provence
Father	Ramon Berenguer II
Mother	Matilda of Apulia
Signature
Religion	Roman Catholic

Ramon Berenguer III the Great was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1086 (jointly with Berenguer Ramon II and solely from 1097), Besalú from 1111, Cerdanya from 1117, and count of Provence in the Holy Roman Empire, from 1112, all until his death in Barcelona in 1131. As Ramon Berenguer I, he was Count of Provence from 1112 in right of his wife.

Born on 11 November 1082 in Rodez, Viscounty of Rodez, County of Toulouse, Francia, he was the son of Ramon Berenguer II. He succeeded his father to co-rule with his uncle Berenguer Ramon II. He became the sole ruler in 1097, when Berenguer Ramon II was forced into exile.

Responding to increased raids into his lands by the Almoravids in 1102, Ramon counter-attacked, assisted by Ermengol V, Count of Urgell, but was defeated and Ermengol killed at the battle of Mollerussa.

During his rule Catalan interests were extended on both sides of the Pyrenees. By marriage or vassalage he incorporated into his realm almost all of the Catalan counties (except Urgell and Peralada). He inherited the counties of Besalú (1111) and Cerdanya (1117) and in between married Douce, heiress of Provence (1112). His dominions then stretched as far east as Nice.