Home › Zalaca

Zalaca

Illumination on parchment of 1086, the year of the battle. The Four Horsemen

The Battle of Sagrajas or Zalaca ( in Arabic ) is held on the 23 October 1086 between the troops of General Almoravid Youssef Ibn Tasufin and those of the King of Castile Alfonso VI. This episode of the Reconquista sees the victory of the Moorish armies.

Background

The early eleventh ^century in Andalusia sees the end of the Umayyads of Cordoba. The end of the reign of Al-Hakam II in 976 was marked by the Trust by the vizier Almanzor the new caliph , Hisham II. At the death of Almanzor in 1002 , opens a long period of internal struggles for power that led to the breakup of the caliphate in a multitude of small kingdoms more or less independent.

It follows a new balance of power with the Christian kingdoms of the north: the Taifa kings make war between them, not hesitating to forge alliances with Christian kingdoms against their coreligionists. In return, they are forced to pay a heavy tribute to their "allies" Christians.

The growing power of Christian rulers of the Taifa kings worries, particularly that of Seville , Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid , which uses the rising force in North Africa : the Almoravids.

Battle

The Battle of Sagrajas came one year after the capture of Toledo in 1085. In 1086 , the Emir Youssef Youssef Ibn Tasufin , considered the first ruler Almoravid , is invited by the kings of the Taifa , to help them against Alfonso VI of Castile. June 30 landed in Algeciras, the troops of Ibn Tasufin are joined by those of the kings of Seville , Granada , Malaga , Almeria and Badajoz. Ibn Tasufin demanded conversion to Islam of Alphonse, who replied to rely on the fortunes of war. The Muslim coalition deal the 23 October a severe defeat Alfonso VI to Sagrajas, near Badajoz. A turning movement of the Almoravids decided a victory so complete that the King of Castile was nearly caught and was countered to withdraw from the region of Seville and lift the siege of Saragossa. This victory was in the Muslim world, an impact that also condirable the capture of Toledo by Alfonso VI. Ibn Tasufin was now considered one of the main champions of Islam threatened ^References

a and b History of North Africa, Ch.-Andre Julien, published by Payot, 1966. P 85.

Bibliography

Lagardre, Vincent, of the vended Zallaq, October 23, 1086, Paris, 1989.
Gauvard, Claude (ed.), De Libera, Alain, Zink, Michael, Dictionary of the Middle Ages, Paris, Quadriga / PUF, 2002, p.1485.