Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona
Encyclopedia
Raymond Borrel (972-1017), was count of Barcelona, Girona
, and Ausona from 992. Son of Borrell II of Barcelona and Letgarda de Rouergue. He was associated with his father from 988.
In 993 he married Ermesinde of Carcassonne
with whom he had three children, Borrell Ramon (died young before 1017) Berengar Raymond (c.1006) and Estefania/Adelaide, wife of Roger I of Tosny
.
Between 1000 and 1002 he had to deal with a number of incursions by Al-Mansur
. However Al-Mansur was killed in Battle of Calatañazor
by Navarran and Leon forces. Seeing an opportunity Raymond counter-attacked in 1003 leading an expedition to Lleida
. However this prompted a new raid on the County of Barcelona by Al-Mansur's son, Abd al-Malik. This was defeated by an alliance of Christian forces at the Battle of Torà
. Ramon was also present at the Battle of Albesa
shortly thereafter.
In 1010, with the Cordoban Caliphate
crumbling into civil war Raymond saw another opportunity. He organised a campaign against the Caliphate, with Armengol I of Urgell, Bernard I of Besalú
, and joined forces with Muhammad II of Córdoba
. The army destroyed the forces of Caliph Sulayman II and sacked Córdoba. As a result Catalonia
remained free from further Moorish dominion. Armengol died in battle on September 1 at Córdoba.
In 1015 and 1016 Raymond made further expeditions to the Rivers Ebro
and Segre
. The treasure obtained in these campaigns maintained the loyalty of his barons.
In the County of Barcelona he ensured the repopulation of the Segarra
, Conca de Barberà
and Camp de Tarragona
. He began the construction of the cathedral
in Barcelona. He was also the first Catalan ruler to mint his own coinage
.
At his death in 1017, he was succeeded by his son Berengar Raymond under the regency
of his mother. He was buried at Barcelona Cathedral, but his grave was lost.
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
, and Ausona from 992. Son of Borrell II of Barcelona and Letgarda de Rouergue. He was associated with his father from 988.
In 993 he married Ermesinde of Carcassonne
Ermesinde of Carcassonne
Ermesinde of Carcassonne was a noblewoman in southern France, the daughter of Roger I of Carcassonne. She married to Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona....
with whom he had three children, Borrell Ramon (died young before 1017) Berengar Raymond (c.1006) and Estefania/Adelaide, wife of Roger I of Tosny
Roger I of Tosny
Roger I of Tosny or Roger of Hispania was a Norman nobleman of the House of Tosny who took part in the Reconquista of Iberia. He was the son of Raoul I of Tosny....
.
Between 1000 and 1002 he had to deal with a number of incursions by Al-Mansur
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...
. However Al-Mansur was killed in Battle of Calatañazor
Battle of Calatañazor
The Battle of Calatañazor was a legendary battle of the Reconquista that supposedly took place in July 1002 at Calatañazor between an army of invading Saracens under Almanzor and a force of Christian allies led by Alfonso V of León, Sancho III of Navarre, and Sancho García of Castile...
by Navarran and Leon forces. Seeing an opportunity Raymond counter-attacked in 1003 leading an expedition to Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
. However this prompted a new raid on the County of Barcelona by Al-Mansur's son, Abd al-Malik. This was defeated by an alliance of Christian forces at the Battle of Torà
Battle of Torà
The Battle of Torà was a defensive battle of the Reconquista, fought between an alliance of Catalonian counts and an army of the Caliphate of Córdoba in 1003 at Torà, Lleida. The main source for the battle is Andrew of Fleury, who probably received his information, which is detailed and generally...
. Ramon was also present at the Battle of Albesa
Battle of Albesa
The Battle of Albesa was a follow-up to the Battle of Torà that took place 25 February 1003 at Albesa, near Balaguer, between the united Christian forces of Catalonia and the Islamic forces of the Caliphate of Córdoba...
shortly thereafter.
In 1010, with the Cordoban Caliphate
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
crumbling into civil war Raymond saw another opportunity. He organised a campaign against the Caliphate, with Armengol I of Urgell, Bernard I of Besalú
Bernard I of Besalú
Bernard I , called Taillefer , was the Count of Besalú in Catalonia from 988 until his death...
, and joined forces with Muhammad II of Córdoba
Muhammad II of Córdoba
Mohammed II al-Mahdi was the fourth Caliph of Cordoba, of the Umayyad dynasty in the Al-Andalus ....
. The army destroyed the forces of Caliph Sulayman II and sacked Córdoba. As a result Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
remained free from further Moorish dominion. Armengol died in battle on September 1 at Córdoba.
In 1015 and 1016 Raymond made further expeditions to the Rivers Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
and Segre
Segre
Segre may be* Beniamino Segre , Italian geometer* Corrado Segre , Italian geometer distantly related to Beniamino* Emilio Segrè , Italian American physicist* Segre River, a river in Catalonia...
. The treasure obtained in these campaigns maintained the loyalty of his barons.
In the County of Barcelona he ensured the repopulation of the Segarra
Segarra
Segarra is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain, situated on a high plain. Historically, the name referred to a larger area than the current comarca. It has a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers, and between 350 and 450 mm of rainfall per year. It is a grain-growing region, with some...
, Conca de Barberà
Conca de Barberà
Conca de Barberà is a comarca in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.-Municipalities:*Barberà de la Conca - pop. 434*Blancafort - pop. 412*Conesa - pop. 123*Espluga de Francolí - pop. 3,687*Forès - pop. 60*Llorac - pop. 128...
and Camp de Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
. He began the construction of the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Barcelona. He was also the first Catalan ruler to mint his own coinage
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
.
At his death in 1017, he was succeeded by his son Berengar Raymond under the regency
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of his mother. He was buried at Barcelona Cathedral, but his grave was lost.