Simó Ballester (
Manacor
Manacor () is a town and Municipalities of Spain, municipality on the island of Mallorca, part of the Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is the second-largest town in Mallorca, after the capi ...
?,
Palma de Mallorca
Palma (, ; ), also known as Palma de Mallorca (officially between 1983 and 1988, 2006–2008, and 2012–2016), is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is ...
1457), nicknamed Tort, was a leading figure in the social conflicts in
Mallorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...
between the peasants and the privileged people of the city of
Palma.
He was a peasant and, according to the historian
J.M. Quadrado, he is considered to be one of the principal leaders of the riots, along with Jaume Nicolau and Bartomeu Moner.
In July 1450 he participated in the first siege of the city, as a head of an army of 2000 peasants. At the beginning of 1451 he negotiated with the governor, but without agreement. In April, the city was besieged a second time.
After a third siege in May, King
Alfons V decided to intervene, and in August 1452 he sent an army that defeated the insurrectionists in the battle of ''Rafal Garcés''.
In 1456 he went to
Menorca
Menorca or Minorca (from , later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Mallorca. Its capital is Maó, situated on the isl ...
. Sometime later he was executed.
References
15th-century people from the Crown of Aragon
History of Mallorca
1457 deaths
People executed by Spain
15th-century executions
Peasants
15th-century farmers
Popular revolt in late-medieval Europe
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