Conquest of Brunant

The Conquest of Brunant is the name given to several expedition underaken between 1217 and 1244 by Catalan and Aragonese to remove the Arabs from Brunant.

Barbona's expedition
In 1217, Catalan nobleman Pellet de Barbona organized an expedition of some 400 soldiers and knights to invade Brunant (at the time the Taifa of Burzand). His soldiers landed near Bur Taif (now Cape Cross Parish). Pellet de Barbona was quickly attacked by the local forces in Bur Taif. While the Arabs were the smaller force, they were able to mount a fast attack while the invaders were still on the beach unloading their horses and equipment. What resulted was a catastrophic mess, with some 150 men dying on the beach. Pellet de Barbona died on that beach, some 50 prisoners were captured and the 200 men still on the ships returned to Spain.