Raymond Berenguer III the Great

November 11, 1082 (age 48)

Rodez, canton of Rodez-Nord, France

He became the sole ruler in 1097, when Berenguer Ramon II was forced into exile. 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. In alliance with the Count of Urgell, Ramon Berenguer conquered Barbastro and Balaguer. They became his tributaries and many Christian slaves there were recovered and set free. In 1116, Ramon traveled to Rome to petition Pope Paschal II for a crusade to liberate Tarragona. By 1118 he had captured and rebuilt Tarragona, which became the metropolitan seat of the church in Catalonia (before that, Catalans had depended ecclesiastically on the archbishopric of Narbonne). Toward the end of his life Ramon Berenguer became a Templar. He died on 23 January/19 July 1131 and was buried in the Santa Maria de Ripoll monastery.

Raymond Berenguer III the Great

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Background

Born on 11 November 1082 in Rodez, Viscounty of Rodez, County of Toulouse, Francia, he was the son of Ramon Berenguer World War II He succeeded his father to co-rule with his uncle Berenguer Ramon World War II

Career

He became the sole ruler in 1097, when Berenguer Ramon II was forced into exile. 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. In alliance with the Count of Urgell, Ramon Berenguer conquered Barbastro and Balaguer.

They became his tributaries and many Christian slaves there were recovered and set free. In 1116, Ramon traveled to Rome to petition Pope Paschal II for a crusade to liberate Tarragona.

By 1118 he had captured and rebuilt Tarragona, which became the metropolitan seat of the church in Catalonia (before that, Catalans had depended ecclesiastically on the archbishopric of Narbonne).

Toward the end of his life Ramon Berenguer became a Templar. He died on 23 January/19 July 1131 and was buried in the Santa Maria de Ripoll monastery.

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