Editing Almogavars (section)

=== War in Sicily and crusade against the Crown of Aragon ===
On 30 March 1282, [[Peter III of Aragon]] waged war on [[Charles of Anjou]] after the [[Sicilian Vespers]] for the possession of [[Naples]] and Sicily. The Almogavars formed the most effective element of his army. Their discipline, ferocity and the force with which they hurled their javelins made them formidable against heavy cavalry of the [[County of Anjou|Angevin]] armies. They fought against cavalry by attacking the enemies' horses instead of the knights themselves. Once a knight was on the ground he was an easy victim of an Almogavar.

Between 1284 and 1285, the [[Aragonese Crusade|Crusade against the Crown of Aragon]] was declared by [[Pope Martin IV]] against King Peter the Great of Aragon. This crusade was declared based on King Peter's intervention in Sicilian affairs against the papal will. Most of the conflict took place in Catalonia, although the first episode took place in the frontier of [[Navarre]] and Aragon. The Almogavars were at the service of King commanded by King Peter or Roger of Lauria.

[[Roger of Lauria]] had much more control over his captains than the enemies did. His crews were made up of specialized troops, instead of the more generic types used by his enemies. His archers were used initially, while his oarsmen Almogavars stayed under cover. These Almogavars were much more agile than the heavily armoured knights with swords, as his enemies often used, especially on the moving deck of a galley at sea. Roger used trickery to disguise the size of his force. In addition, he sometimes kept some of his galleys hidden, to attack the rear of the enemy after the battle had started.

Roger was also infamous for the ruthless sackings and the devastation of his actions, often driven only by greed and personal advantage. On the other side, his reputation alone possibly caused some enemies to lose heart during a battle.