| Battle of Formentera (1109) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theNorwegian Crusade and theReconquista | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of Norway | Saracen Pirates | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sigurd I of Norway | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown, low | Reportedly all were killed | ||||||
TheBattle of Formentera (1109) (Norwegian:Slaget ved Formentera) was a part of a military campaign against the Muslims of theBalearic Islands.[1] The raid was a huge success for the Norwegian Crusaders, facing low casualties. Islamic scholars have referred to the Norwegian raids in the region as part of a larger history ofIslamic Spain.[1]
The raid occurred on the Crusaders' journey to theHoly Land in theLevant. There had been multiple military successes before this such as theSiege of Lisbon and theRaid on Santiago de Compostela.[2] The islands were often perceived as a pirate haven and slaving centre by Christians.[3]
The Crusaders arrived at the small island ofFormentera. The island settlement is described as precarious and inhabited bySaracens. The settlement was established in a cave in a cliff where they kept considerable plunder they had gained from raiding.[4]
According to theHeimskringla, KingSigurd lowered several ships with four men in front of an inaccessible rock slab on Formentera to drive out a group of so-called "heathen bluemen" (North African Muslims) who had entrenched themselves there. By attaching ropes to the front and back of the boats and securing them under the ribs, they lowered the boats down the side of the cliff. The Norwegian archers and stone throwers, who were protected inside these boats, successfully forced the Saracens to retreat from the defensive wall and into the cave. As a result, Sigurd and his troops were able to climb up the cliff and reach the wall.[5]
Once they breached the wall, the Norwegians gathered large pieces of wood near the entrance of the cave, set them on fire, and suffocated or burned the people inside. They also killed anyone who tried to escape. The loot recovered from the cave was said to be the most valuable of the entire expedition.[1][a]