Battle of the Col de Panissars
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Col de Panissars was fought on 30 September and 1 October 1285 between the forces of Philip III of France
and Peter III of Aragón
. It was a severe defeat for the French, who were already retiring over the Pyrenees
when the Aragonese fell on them.
It was the last battle of the Aragonese Crusade
, a papally-sanctioned war on behalf of Charles of Valois
to secure the Aragonese throne from the excommunicate king Peter, who had conquered Sicily
against papal interests. The battle followed on the heels of the naval victory at Les Formigues
on 4 September.
of Albères (568 m) was the main route through the Pyrenees in Antiquity
. The Romans
called it the Summum Pyrenæum. It has since been superseded by the Col de Perthus one kilometre to the northeast.
Having promised to leave the passage to the French king and his family, the Aragonese troops contented themselves with attacking the retreating French army, decimated by dysentery
. Peter entrusted the vanguard to Ramon de Montcada and his Almogàvers, who massacred the fatigued French but spared the royal family. This first attack was followed up by a second attack by Roger de Lauria, the admiral of the fleet which had defeated the French at Les Formigues and had then disembarked to fight on land. The result of all this was a rout: the French were decimated further and it was a complete Aragonese victory. According to the chronicle
of Ramon Muntaner
, the festivities of celebration lasted eight days in Barcelona
.
against Frederick III of Sicily
at the head of four thousand knights in the pay of the pope, Frederick reminded him of the gesture of leniency and magnanimity which his father, Peter, had shown to Charles family at the Col de Panissars. Admitting a lack of gratefulness, Charles ceased hostilities and signed the Peace of Caltabellotta
.
Philip III of France
Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
and Peter III of Aragón
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
. It was a severe defeat for the French, who were already retiring over the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
when the Aragonese fell on them.
It was the last battle of the Aragonese Crusade
Aragonese Crusade
The Aragonese Crusade or Crusade of Aragon, a part of the larger War of the Sicilian Vespers, was declared by Pope Martin IV against the King of Aragon, Peter III the Great, in 1284 and 1285...
, a papally-sanctioned war on behalf of Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois was the fourth son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. His mother was a daughter of James I of Aragon and Yolande of Hungary. He was a member of the House of Capet and founded the House of Valois...
to secure the Aragonese throne from the excommunicate king Peter, who had conquered Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
against papal interests. The battle followed on the heels of the naval victory at Les Formigues
Battle of Les Formigues
The naval Battle of Les Formigues took place probably in the early morning of 4 September 1285 near Les Formigues Islands, about 85 km northeast of Barcelona, when a Catalan-Sicilian galley fleet commanded by Roger of Lauria defeated a French and Genoese galley fleet commanded by Guilhem de...
on 4 September.
Location and battle
The pass around the massifMassif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
of Albères (568 m) was the main route through the Pyrenees in Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
. The Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
called it the Summum Pyrenæum. It has since been superseded by the Col de Perthus one kilometre to the northeast.
Having promised to leave the passage to the French king and his family, the Aragonese troops contented themselves with attacking the retreating French army, decimated by dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
. Peter entrusted the vanguard to Ramon de Montcada and his Almogàvers, who massacred the fatigued French but spared the royal family. This first attack was followed up by a second attack by Roger de Lauria, the admiral of the fleet which had defeated the French at Les Formigues and had then disembarked to fight on land. The result of all this was a rout: the French were decimated further and it was a complete Aragonese victory. According to the chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
of Ramon Muntaner
Ramon Muntaner
Ramon Muntaner was a Catalan soldier and writer who wrote the Crònica, a chronicle of his life, including his adventures as a commander in the Catalan Company...
, the festivities of celebration lasted eight days in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
Legacy
When, in 1302, Charles of Valois intervened in Sicily in support of Charles II of NaplesCharles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
against Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
at the head of four thousand knights in the pay of the pope, Frederick reminded him of the gesture of leniency and magnanimity which his father, Peter, had shown to Charles family at the Col de Panissars. Admitting a lack of gratefulness, Charles ceased hostilities and signed the Peace of Caltabellotta
Peace of Caltabellotta
The Peace of Caltabellotta, signed on 31 August, 1302, was the last of a series of treaties, including those of Tarascon and Anagni, designed to end the conflict between the Houses of Anjou and Barcelona for ascendancy in the Mediterranean and especially Sicily and the Mezzogiorno.The peace divided...
.
Sources
- Chaytor, H. J. A History of Aragon and Catalonia