Editing Almogavars (section)

==Historic military significance==
The Almogavars were considered one of the best infantries of their era.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kagay |first1=Donald J. |last2=Villalon |first2=L. J. Andrew |title=The Circle of War in the Middle Ages: Essays on Medieval Military and Naval History |publisher=Boydell & Brewer, Limited |year=1999 |page=152 |isbn=0851156452 }}</ref> In an age in which cavalry was the favored weapon of armies and the model of the chivalric ideal was a continuing myth, the Almogavars used the terrain to their advantage, fought at night and always went on foot without wearing armour, which gave them great mobility. [[Ramon Llull]] gave them as much importance as the crossbowmen and heavy armoured knights. According to his view, the only way to effectively combat Islam and recover the [[Holy Land]] was to start the war from the Spanish border, defeat the Moors of Al-Andalus, go to North Africa, and gradually moving up to the [[Levant]]; considering this and their military effectiveness, the Almogavars were a key part of his plan. In the year he wrote his chronicle (1315), the Almogavars were at the height of their fame, and had achieved renown throughout the Mediterranean for their exploits in Tunisia, Sicily, and in the [[Catalan Company]].<ref>Ferrer i Mallol, Maria Teresa. ''Organització i defensa d'un territori fronterer'', p. 238.</ref>

When they were carrying out border incursions, the Almogavars usually fought in small, autonomous groups of five to fifteen men, counting on surprise. In times of open warfare, the groups were more numerous and there is mention of twenty or thirty comrades per group. Also, very rarely, some Almogavars participated in corsair operations against Granada.<ref>Ferrer i Mallol, Maria Teresa. ''Organització i defensa d'un territori fronterer'', p. 263.</ref>

It also must be emphasized that they were not exactly an army, but formed a very hard way of life, and they did not usually have any jobs: They took everything from their raids; so in times of peace, they were a great nuisance for any leader. The primary activity of these groups was to carry out small raids in enemy territory with the objective of taking livestock and captives and then selling them. In times of war, the kings and local nobles encouraged these activities, which yielded the [[Quinto Real|King's fifth]] of the booty obtained.<ref>Ferrer i Mallol, Maria Teresa. ''Organització i defensa d'un territori fronterer'', p. 260.</ref>

They were born during the violence of the frontier between the Islamic and the Christian world, and actually were often the cause of the frontier tensions. The frontier with the Saracen, not very attractive for people who wished for a life of quiet work, was a refuge for adventurers, of people who enjoyed living with risks and who lived by the fist and by looting enemy territory. During the wars they joined the army, most of the time without a salary, but in exchange for rights on the loot, and being fed.

=== Tactics ===
Their mission consisted of exploring the land where the army was advancing, standing at forefront and flanks, harassing the enemy, attacking their garrisons by surprise and intercepting their convoys. They preferred to fight in open order, but if they were in trouble they could form a compact mass to fight off repeated cavalry charges, as happened against the Moors at Alcoll.<ref>Almirante y Torroella, José (1869). ''Diccionario militar, etimológico, histórico, tecnológico, con dos vocabularios francés y alemán''. Madrid: Depósito de la Guerra, p. 40.</ref>

Almogavars acted as light infantry and could act in collaboration with heavy cavalry, but unlike other medieval infantry troops they did not require their support. In the mercenary companies, besides Almogavars, there were units of "knights, infantry, archers, scudars, and men guarding the weapons of galleys", each one with a specific mission that could be coordinated on the battlefield. They always retained their autonomy and were a permanent militia, because their modus vivendi consisted of making raids in enemy border territory.<ref>Ríu, 1988: 432.</ref> For this reason, they always carried light arms in order to move swiftly during the raids, which could last two or three days before getting to villages with decent booty.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boya Balet|2014|p=27}}</ref> For this reason, their long marches proved their endurance, speed, and frugality.

In the Europe of those times armoured heavy cavalry was the dominant shock force, so their tactics proved to be an innovation. The Almogavars were uncomfortable riding, and always fought on foot.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boya Balet|2014|p=29}}</ref> Acting as light infantry, the first thing they did was throw their spears at the knights, piercing their armour and shields from a distance, but especially fatally wounding the horses. They also got into the enemy formation to cut the hocks of the animals with their heavy knives, or impaled them with spears. In the melee they did not hesitate to use their heavy knives or maces to disembowel horses, and when the agonized mounts collapsed they rushed at the horsemen with their knives to kill them.