ALFONSO I of ARAGON, called the BATALLADOR. Succeeded his brother Peter I in 1104 and ruled the Aragonese throne until his death in 1134. Through his marriage to Urraca, daughter and heir of Alfonso VI of Castile and León, the union of the two crowns also took place. However, both the marriage and the political union had negative outcomes. From this arose a scandalous reputation for the family (attributed by some to Urraca’s free lifestyle, by others to Alfonso’s tyranny) and political strife between Castile and Aragon provoked by the predominance of the Aragonese element in the administration of Castile. Peace returned only after Urraca’s death, when the two kingdoms reverted to being separate.
Alfonso’s fame is tied to his wars against the Muslims of Spain, which made him a hero of the Reconquista. In 1118 Saragossa fell into his hands, followed by Calatayud and Tarazona. Later (1125) he responded to the invitation of the Andalusians and advanced as far as Valencia and Murcia, pushing beyond Granada to the sea; however, these conquests were not lasting. He died while besieging Fraga near the border of Catalonia.