South of the Ebro delta the Crown's ground ends at Tortosa, the Hospitallers' castellany of Amposta and the Templars' Horta.
Beyond them lies a belt of hills and coastal plain, from the Montsià and the Ports to the line of Morella, Sant Mateu and Peñíscola, which neither side settles or farms in safety. Ulldecona castle has been Christian in title since 1173, when a Montcada gave it to the Hospitallers (confirmed by Alfonso II in 1178), but it gets settlers only in 1222 because the land is too insecure. Peñíscola on its sea rock and Morella in the mountains are Almohad strongholds of the governor of Valencia, with Xivert, Cervera del Maestre and Sant Mateu behind them; they fall to the Crown only in 1232-1235.
How things stand that morning
Raided ground; Christian title at Ulldecona without settlement; Almohad garrisons hold the southern strongholds.
Who raids here
Christian riders from Tortosa, Amposta and the Templar houses go south for cattle, captives and plunder; Muslim garrisons and raiders from Peñíscola, Morella and the Maestrat hill castles strike north at the flocks and farms of the Ebro.
Anchors christian
- Tortosa (Suda castle)
- Amposta (Hospitallers)
- Horta de Sant Joan and Miravet (Templars)
- Ulldecona (Hospitallers, Montcada rights reserved)
Anchors muslim
- Peñíscola
- Morella
- Xivert (Alcalà)
- Cervera del Maestre
- Sant Mateu
Last campaign
No major Aragonese campaign on this front is pinned for 1196-1199; Peter II's next southern blow falls further west in 1210 (Ademuz and Castielfabib). The belt lives on small raids.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1210Peter II campaigns on the Valencian frontier further west (Ademuz, Castielfabib).Depends on: Peace in the north and money Stopped by: War in Occitania
- 1222Ulldecona receives its settlement charter from Ramon de Montcada.Depends on: A safer frontier Stopped by: Raids
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Ulldecona's history from Castells Catalans; the conquest dates of Peñíscola and Morella are standard. Whether a formal Aragonese-Almohad truce was in force on 1 January 1200 is not pinned.
On the map: Rough polygon on the Montsià, the Ports and the Sénia; the southern edge stops short of the Almohad strongholds, which belong to the Almohad province record.
Sources and studies
- Castells Catalans: Ulldecona (castle history)
- Catalunya Romànica: Santa Maria de la comanda del Temple (Tortosa)
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.