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Frontiersmen have a reputation for being tough, and we have plenty of examples of that in America's westward expansion. Much earlier, in medieval Europe, we find another phenomenal example of this harshness: the almogávares.

The almogávares companies were made up of mercenaries who came, above all, from the borderlands of the kingdom of Aragon and the county of Barcelona. that during the Middle Ages they participated in the so-called Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula and, later, in various war episodes across the Mediterranean.

Although the latter were the ones who earned them universal fame, their activity as companies of soldiers of fortune began in the Reconquest, helping Count and King Jaime I of Catalonia and Aragon in his conquest of Valencia and the Islands Balearics.

Probably, the origin of it lies in the recruitment of border people to carry out looting and punitive raids on territory "Saracen" (controlled by the Muslims), an undoubtedly lucrative activity in which probably those that starred in it ended up seeing a much better way out than living off the land or what good could.

The mercenary soldier almogávar lived a frugal and spartan life on the battlefield, which made him these would gain an even greater reputation as bellicose, at the same time that it posed problems for those who hired.

Protected only by their clothing and light leather protections, they were armed with a spear, a long dagger like a sword (the coltell, a word that in Catalan means knife), and a pair of darts.

In their satchel, they carried two-day rations of bread, and they lived off looting. The problem is that this was not only done in the enemy camp, but, without much consideration, also used to do it in their own field, which is precisely what caused problems for those who hired.

They did not fight according to any codeThey were not "chivalrous" and, quite the contrary, they were brutal, earning a fame that already frightened the enemy before even entering into combat.

Thus, for example, they faced cavalry charges by slaughtering horses or wounding them in the belly, a practice considered not very chivalrous for the time although the Almogávares were not the only ones who carried it to cape.

After the end of the reconquest wars by the Catalan-Aragonese Crown, the Almogávares were required in Sicily.

This was a geo-strategically important territory, in dispute between the Crown of Aragon and France. They served King Frederick II of Sicily until the signing of the Peace of Caltabellota (1302). Once again, and with their discharge, the almogávares began to represent a problem for their former employers.

The solution It came in the form of yet another new contract, this time required by Emperor Andronicus II, a job that would make them jump into the pages of history.

Once the Compañía Catalana de Oriente was formed, they began to fight, in the name of Byzantium, to regain the positions lost by the Empire in Asia Minor, with great success on the part of the mercenaries.

It is at this time that his war cry, “wake up ferro!"Which, in Catalan, literally means" wake up iron "and referred to his weapons, preparing them to wake them up in view of the confrontation.

This cry was uttered at the same time that the corresponding weapon was rattled against the stones that were in the place, thereby causing noises and even sparks.

The vision of those fighters so tough, so convinced, and with the fame they carried, caused that many times armies in clear superiority numerically entered battle against the Almogávares with the psychological factor against, which explains some of their memorable victories on the ground. Turkish.

Upon the arrival of the mercenaries, the emperor married their chief (Roger de Flor) with his cousin (María de Bulgaria).

The intervention Catalan-Aragonese irritated the Genoese, who saw their influence and interests in the Mediterranean at risk oriental, at the same time that it generated jealousy in the son of the emperor and some Byzantine dignitaries, who saw Roger from Flower like someone trying to thrive in court to... End up assuming imperial power?

Part of the Genoese residents in Byzantium rebelled against the Almogávares, being massacred by them, a massacre that could only end the pleas of Andronicus II. From here, Roger de Flor is urged to leave for Asia Minor.

Already in territory dominated by the Turks, the Almogávares will achieve a first lightning victory in the Cízico river, at the which will follow several battles on his route to save Philadelphia (the current Turkish Alaşehir) from the siege to which it was subjected.

The behavior of the Almogávares during this time and this campaign and, especially, of their commander Roger de Flor, left Much to be desired for the Greeks of Asia Minor, for they did it with brutality and as if the possessions were theirs, not theirs. Byzantines.

The Almogávars had made too many enemies, both within and outside the Empire, which took its toll on them.

At a dinner to which the emperor's son, Miguel, invited Roger de Flor and his captains, the latter were treacherously murdered.

The action is followed by a real hunt for almogávars which, instigated by the Genoese, becomes a "hunt" for all Catalans, Aragonese, Valencians and, in general, any person from territories linked to the monarchy Catalan-Aragonese.

The remedy was worse than the disease: the surviving almogávares barricaded themselves in Gallipoli and began what will become known as “Catalan revenge”.

Berenguer de Entenza is appointed the new commander of the Almogávares, but he will be captured during an operation directed at the heart of the Empire, leaving Ramon Muntaner (who later will relate in his chronicle the adventure of the company in the East, although with a very partisan view of the events) as commander.

In Gallipoli there will be one of the battles that increased the fame of the Almogávares: surrounded by a much superior host and not being able to afford the constant dripping with casualties, the mercenaries (now an army fighting for their honor and survival) decide to make a sortie and engage the Byzantine troops on the field open.

The result is shocking: with losses of one knight and two peons, the Almogávares cause, according to the chronicles, 26,000 casualties, 6,000 of which knights, on the enemy side.

Although undoubtedly exaggerated, the result reflects an overwhelming superiority of the Catalans, and a constant on the battlefields of old: the fleeing enemy suffers far more casualties than the side that pursues.

Starting from Gallipoli, the Almogávares unleashed what today we would know as “total war”, with a policy of “scorched earth”.

His behavior in revenge is such that, even today, in Turkey, Greece, Albania and parts of the Balkans, instead of threatening children with “the bogeyman”, They were threat telling them that “a Catalan will come and take you with him”.

In their campaign, the Almogávares created a small military state in Gallipoli, and continued looting territories: Thrace, the Strait of Dardanelles, the surroundings of Byzantium, ...

Also during this time, they increase their strength with the incorporation of Greek deserters, mercenaries Alans, Turks and Italians. Whoever wanted loot and / or thirst for blood, had a place among the almogávares, in need of arms and swords, surrounded in territory hostile how were they.

From here, the Almogávares enter the service of various local lords, including the Norman Duke of Athens, Gautier V de Brienne.

For him, the almogávares will recover several cities, but they will be betrayed again when he refuses to pay them the soldier.

On the river Cefis the company of almogávares will face off against Gautier's hosts, the latter far outnumbered, and once again, the mercenaries will achieve a brilliant victory.

This time, helped by an element: water. Taking advantage of a marshy ground, they muddied the field, leaving the heavy Norman-style cavalry crippled and at the mercy of the Almogávar infantry, while the Catalan-Aragonese cavalry pursued the Frankish infantry in leakage.

Conquered Athens, the Almogávares make this city their capital, swearing allegiance to the King of Sicily and imposing in their Greek dominions the same legislation in force in the territories of the Crown Catalan-Aragonese.

Eight years before their final fall, the Duchies of Athens and Neopatria (names of established political entities by the Almogávares in Greek lands) became formally part of the Crown's possessions Catalan-Aragonese.

But everything has an end, and after almost eighty years of rule, the territories occupied by the Almogávares were conquered by the Republic of Florence.

Along the way, the tough frontiersmen had settled down, thereby losing - and according to some historians - much of the warrior ardor that had led them to rule Asia Minor and to beat far superior enemies in number.

However, the legend is not taken away by anyone, including the bad reputation in some places where they passed.

Suffice it to say that in the monasteries of Mount Athos, a set looted and devastated by the Almogávares, it was not allowed to enter until the beginning of this century those who declared to be Catalan.

Theoretically, this prohibition was annulled in 2005, when the Generalitat (the government Autonomous Government of Catalonia) paid for the restoration of one of the monasteries.

Photo: Fotolia - tbaeff / channarongsds

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