CATALAN GRAND COMPANY, The, a name of a troop of adventurers raised by Roger de Flor about the beginning of the 14th century. Roger first gave his services to Fred erick, King of Sicily, in his war with Robert, Duke of Calabria, but when peace was con cluded between the two princes, being at a loss how to maintain his soldiers, he proposed to lead them to the East to contend against the Turks, who were then desolating the Eastern empire. Andronicus, then Emperor of the East, gladly accepted the offered assistance of Roger, and submitted to all the conditions which he imposed. Roger set sail from Messina, Sicily, in 1303, with 26 vessels partly equipped at his own expense. The number of the troops em barked with him is said to have amounted to about 8,000 men of different nations, Sicilians, Catalans, Aragonese, etc. The Catalans, either because they were the most numerous or for some other reason, gave their name to the whole company. On his arrival at Constanti nople Roger was received with great rejoicings, and was elevated to the dignity of grand duke. A bloody affray between the Genoese and the Catalans marked the first period of the stay of these adventurers in Constantinople. An dronicus hastened to get them to cross over into Asia. This they did in the spring of 1304, and in the same year they defeated the Turks completely. In 1305 he took Ancyra and forced the Turks to raise the siege of Phila delphia, but he was not so successful in his attempt to take Magnesia. After a long and ineffective siege he recrossed into Europe in 1306, bringing along with him his Catalans, who left behind them everywhere traces of their plunder and violence. When they had reached
Europe they took up their quarters at Gallipoli. But Andronicus, who was by this time very anxious to be rid of his formidable allies, now received Roger with great coldness, and even obliged him to give up his title of grand duke in favor of Berengarius. The sudden depar ture of Berengarius, however, and the simul taneous incursions of the Turks into Asia Minor, compelled Andronicus again to appeal to Roger and his Catalans for assistance. Roger was raised to the dignity of Cmsar to appease him for the slights that had been put on him. But this only caused him to be regarded with more jealousy by the Greeks, and especially by Michael, the son of Andronicus, who was as sociated with his father in the empire. The re sult was that before he could start once more for Asia he Was assassinated (1306 or 1307). The Catalans now turned their arms against the Byzantines, in order to avenge the death of their leader, and defeated them in several battles. They then passed into Greece and en tered the service of the Duke of Athens, but no long time afterward they turned against him and defeated him in the battle of Cephissus (1311). They now became masters of Attica, where they maintained themselves for four years, when they were finally defeated by Philes near Bizyn (1315). Consult Gibbon, Decline and Fall) (Chap. LXII).