Ibiza Under Muslim Rule: Three Centuries of Yabisa
Before discussing the Catalan conquest, it is necessary to understand the Ibiza that the conquistadors encountered. Since the year 902, when the Córdoba Emirate incorporated the Pitiusas Islands into its territory, Ibiza had lived more than three centuries under Muslim rule.
During this period, which Ibizans know as the era of Yabisa, the island experienced notable development.
The Agricultural and Urban Legacy of Muslims
The Muslims left a deep mark on Ibiza that can still be traced today:
- Sophisticated irrigation systems that transformed arid lands into cultivated fields
- Introduction of new crops such as fig and almond trees
- A network of alquerías (small agricultural estates) that transformed the rural landscape
- The medina of Yabisa with mosque, souks, public baths, and narrow streets
The city of Yabisa occupied the hill that we now know as Dalt Vila, protected by a wall with towers. The population was predominantly Muslim, but also included communities of Jews and Mozarab Christians.
The Conquistadors: Guillem de Montgrí and the Distributors
The conquest of Ibiza was a peculiar enterprise within the Reconquista process, because it was not organized directly by the Crown but by three nobles who acted on their own initiative with the authorization of King Jaime I of Aragon.
The Three Leaders of the Expedition
- Guillem de Montgrí: elected archbishop of Tarragona, promoter and principal leader
- Nunó Sanç: count of Rosellón
- Infante Pedro of Portugal: lord of the kingdom of Mallorca
The three signed a partition pact by which they would divide the island and its revenues proportionally to their military contribution. The fleet assembled approximately one thousand five hundred armed men embarked in galleys and transport ships.
The Landing and Capture of the City
On August 8, 1235, the fleet landed in the area now known as Ses Salines, in the south of the island. The choice of location was not coincidental: the salt ponds were a first-rate economic objective and the flat terrain facilitated the landing.
The Siege of Yabisa
After establishing a camp in the south, the Christian troops advanced toward the city and laid siege to the walled medina. The siege lasted several weeks during which there were skirmishes, attempted assaults, and negotiations.
The Muslim defenders resisted with determination, but the numerical superiority and weaponry of the attackers eventually prevailed. The city fell on the day of Santa María de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows).
The Division of Territory
Following the conquest, the island was divided among the three conquistadors:
- Guillem de Montgrí: the majority, including the city
- Nunó Sanç: the southwestern quadrant
- Infante Pedro of Portugal: the north of the island
This division into quartets left an administrative mark that endured for centuries.
Repopulation and the Birth of a New Society
Following the conquest, most of the Muslim population was expelled or reduced to servitude. The island was repopulated with colonists from Catalonia, Rosellón, Provence, and other areas of the Crown of Aragon.
The Catalan Heritage
These settlers brought with them an entire cultural world that transformed the island forever:
- The Catalan language, which gave rise to the Ibiza dialect (eivissenc)
- Their laws and administrative system
- Christian faith: the mosque was consecrated as a church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows
- Catalan place names that progressively replaced Arab names
- The most common surnames on the island: Marí, Tur, Torres, Ribas, Cardona
Many words and expressions that Ibizans use daily have their origin in that medieval Catalan of the thirteenth century. Our most common surnames are the same ones carried by those first Catalan colonists.
A Legacy That Defines Us
The conquest of 1235 is, for better or worse, the event that has most marked Ibiza's identity. Our language, our festivals, our parish organization, our civil law, and much of our traditions have their origin in that foundational moment.
Every August 5, Ibizans celebrate the day of our patroness, Santa María de las Nieves, in a festival that intertwines the religious and civic and reminds us that we are the result of successive layers of history.
Practical Information
- Dalt Vila: the historic core where the final siege took place. Explanatory panels throughout the route
- Cathedral of Our Lady of the Snows: at the top of Dalt Vila, built over the ancient mosque
- Festival of Santa María de las Nieves: August 5, with civic and religious events throughout the city
- Archaeological Museum of Ibiza: section dedicated to the Islamic period with ceramics and objects from Muslim Yabisa
- Centre d'Interpretació Madina Yabisa: in Dalt Vila, traces the Muslim history of the island
- Recommended reading: "Història d'Eivissa i Formentera", available in local bookstores