Due to a lack of success in the Reconquista on their southern frontier, the Catalans turned towards the Mediterranean littoral and northwards.
At that time, Douce's younger sister Stephanie was married to Raymond of Baux, who promptly laid claim to the inheritance of her mother, even though Provence had peacefully passed into the hands of her nephew, Berenguer Ramon I.
The other supporters of Stephanie and Raymond included Toulouse, the county of Foix, Arles (until 1150), and even the Republic of Genoa, who carried out an attack on Melgueil in 1144 during which Berenguer Ramon died.
the preparations which the lords of Baux duly made, against the house of Barcelona upon the death of Ramon Berenguer the first and perhaps some time before, forced the men of Arles to decide on a great change, and they urged the archbishop to take it up.
[2]At the opening of the conflict, Raymond of Baux made an appeal to Conrad III, who was technically the King of Burgundy, though this title meant more in theory than in practice, Provence being legally a fief of the Burgundian kingdom.
By an act of 4 August 1145, Conrad validated the right of Stephanie and Raymond to their titles and granted them the power of coining money at Arles and at Trinquetaille.
In view of his impotence, with only the backing of Arles, Raymond of Baux entered into negotiations and made submission to the house of Barcelona.
Stephanie's four sons — Hugh, William, Bertrand, and Gilbert — were recompensed for relinquishing their rights to the counties of Gerberga and a treaty was signed at Arles in 1150.
Hugh achieved a diplomatic victory with his confirmation by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, but like that of Conrad years earlier, it meant nothing to the Catalans.
In August 1161, Ramon Berenguer travelled to Turin with his uncle, the count of Barcelona, to obtain the confirmation of his countship in Provence from the emperor.
Ramon Berenguer was recognised as victor by the chancelleries of the Empire, but Hugh made a last attempt to salvage victory by reminding the emperor of the two chrysobull-attended letters issued on his behalf, one of Conrad the other of Frederick himself.