Bernat I Tallaferro was a count. He brought the most splendorous times to Besalú, which used to be the capital of an independent county.
Tallaferro was known by the nickname of "Scindes Ferro" because of the battles he carried out against the Moorish. Later he was also known as the Prince and Father of the nation.

In the year 1010 Ramón Borrell from Barcelona called all the Catalan nobles to help Mohamed, who was fighting against Suleiman in the conquest of the Moorish Empire. Apart from Tallaferro, other important nobles went there, such as Armengol d'Urgell, Hug d'Empúries and the bishops Aeci from Barcelona and Arnulf from Vic. More than 9000 men went to Córdoba to fight against Suleiman, who lost on the Akbar-al-Bakar battle. Suleiman then took refuge in Zafra.

They met again later in the battles at Guadiana, near Algeciras. This time Suleiman won. Aeci and Armengol died, and Arnulf and Odó from Girona were badly injured. When they came back home from these battles, Bernat had already gained the nickname of Tallaferro, meaning 'the one that can cut iron'.

Tallaferro was well appreciated by the pope Gregorio V, who called him loved son and glorious count, and who put the Monastery of Sant Genís and Sant Miquel de Besalú under the protection of Rome.

When the construction of the Monastery of Sant Pere de Besalú was finished, Tallaferro consecrated it. This took place on the 23rd of September 1003. In the year 1006, by popular request, Tallaferro choose the bishop.

In the year 1007 he married Toda, the daughter of the count of Barcelona Ramon Berenguer.
They had five sons and three daughters:
Guillem was the successor of the county. Guifré became bishop of Besalú. Enric became a clergyman. And Hug and Berenguer received various freeholds.
Of his three daughters Garsenda married the viscount of Narbonne. Adelaida became a nun in the Monastery of Santa Pau. And Constança received freeholds.

Tallaferro gave various donations to Santa Maria de Ripoll, Sant Miquel de Cuixà and Sant Miquel de Besalú. He wanted to be independent from Barcelona, and in order to achieve it he and his two sons Guillen and Guifré went to Rome to talk to the new pope. This was in the year 1016. They came back with a piece of the Lignum Crucis and the allowance of Benedicto VII to create a bishopric within Tallaferro's domains.

Also thanks to a Benedicto VII, in the year 1017 Tallaferro became count of Ripoll and its land.

In the year 1020 he went on a trip to Provence to deal with his son Guillem's marriage. On the 26th of November on his return, he tried to cross the river Roine and died in the attempt. His death was mourned all throughout Catalunya. He is buried in Santa Maria de Ripoll.