The expedition left for Majorca from Salou, Cambrils and Tarragona on September 5, 1229, with a fleet of over 150 vessels, the majority of which were Catalan.
Various sources indicate an armed contingent of between 800 and 1,500 men and 15,000 soldiers.
The Muslim king of the island, Abú Yahya, had between 18,000 and 42,000 men and between 2,000 and 5,000 horses (according to various reports) and received no military support, neither from the peninsula, nor from North Africa, by which they tried to hinder the Christian advance towards the capital as much as possible.

Some of the Christian ships were built at the expense of the Crown, but most of them were private contributions.
Because of his experience and knowledge of the Balearics, Peter Martell was appointed head of the fleet, while Guillem de Montcada, who previously had asked the king to allow him to take charge of the mission because of the risk that the enterprise entailed, served as lieutenant, all under the command of James I, who due to his enthusiasm did not allow impositions and rejected the petition.
The royal vessel, heading the fleet, was skippered by Nicholas Bonet, followed by the vessels of Bearne, Martell and Carroz in that order.

The journey to the island was hampered by a severe storm that nearly caused the convoy to retreat.
After three days, between Friday September 7 and part of Saturday, the entire Christian fleet arrived at Pantaleu island, located on the coast of the present-day town of San Telmo, a hamlet belonging to the municipality of present-day Andrach.
James I's forces were not bothered by the possible threat of early conflict with the Muslim fleet, but the storm was so harsh that in the midst of the tempest the king swore to Santa Maria that he would build a cathedral to venerate her if their lives were spared.
Local tradition has it that the first royal mass was held on this island and that a water trough where the king watered his horse was kept there, but in 1868 it was destroyed by revolutionaries who wanted to eliminate the vestiges of the former feudal system.

While the Christians were preparing to begin the assault, Abú Yahya had to suppress a revolt that had been caused by his uncle, Abu Has Ibn Sayri, and as a reprimand was preparing to execute 50 of the rioters, but the governor pardoned them so they could help in the defence work.
However, once pardoned they left Medina Mayurqa for their homes; some of them preferred to side with the Christians, as was the case of Ali de Pantaleu, also known as "Ali de la Palomera" or by Ben Abed, a Muslim who provided supplies to James I for three months.
The expedition left for Majorca from Salou, Cambrils and Tarragona on September 5, 1229, with a fleet of over 150 vessels, the majority of which were Catalan. Various sources indicate an armed contingent of between 800 and 1,500 men and 15,000 soldiers. The Muslim king of the island, Abú Yahya, had between 18,000 and 42,000 men and between 2,000 and 5,000 horses (according to various reports) and received no military support, neither from the peninsula, nor from North Africa, by which they tried to hinder the Christian advance towards the capital as much as possible.
Some of the Christian ships were built at the expense of the Crown, but most of them were private contributions. Because of his experience and knowledge of the Balearics, Peter Martell was appointed head of the fleet, while Guillem de Montcada, who previously had asked the king to allow him to take charge of the mission because of the risk that the enterprise entailed, served as lieutenant, all under the command of James I, who due to his enthusiasm did not allow impositions and rejected the petition. The royal vessel, heading the fleet, was skippered by Nicholas Bonet, followed by the vessels of Bearne, Martell and Carroz in that order.
The journey to the island was hampered by a severe storm that nearly caused the convoy to retreat. After three days, between Friday September 7 and part of Saturday, the entire Christian fleet arrived at Pantaleu island, located on the coast of the present-day town of San Telmo, a hamlet belonging to the municipality of present-day Andrach. James I's forces were not bothered by the possible threat of early conflict with the Muslim fleet, but the storm was so harsh that in the midst of the tempest the king swore to Santa Maria that he would build a cathedral to venerate her if their lives were spared. Local tradition has it that the first royal mass was held on this island and that a water trough where the king watered his horse was kept there, but in 1868 it was destroyed by revolutionaries who wanted to eliminate the vestiges of the former feudal system.
While the Christians were preparing to begin the assault, Abú Yahya had to suppress a revolt that had been caused by his uncle, Abu Has Ibn Sayri, and as a reprimand was preparing to execute 50 of the rioters, but the governor pardoned them so they could help in the defence work. However, once pardoned they left Medina Mayurqa for their homes; some of them preferred to side with the Christians, as was the case of Ali de Pantaleu, also known as "Ali de la Palomera" or by Ben Abed, a Muslim who provided supplies to James I for three months.
Conquest of Majorca