Battle of Sagrajas 1086

Battle of Sagrajas 1086: Prelude:

(Firstly, let me apologise about how some of the text of my article has come out on Blogger! I'm currently trying to remedy it though it seems I cannot find a background for the text that matches that of my Blog!)

What follows is what I have managed to glean thus far on the build up to and the fighting at the Battle of Sagrajas 1086. It is by no means a comprehensive view of the battle and I'm sure more I read, the more I will learn and the more my knowledge of the battle will grow. It needs to be said that the historical sources are customarily scarce in reference Sagrajas as is the case with most Medieval battles of this time period. I'm trying not to view this as a negative, but rather a positive as it will allow for the creation of some nice vignettes as well as allowing me to ad lib a little on the composition of part of the forces and terrain.             

Toward the last decades of the 11th century forces of Christian Spain and Portugal started to make major inroads into central 'Muslim' southern Spain. This was precipitated by the dissolution of The Independent Umayyid Emirate of Cordoba (929-1031) and the dismemberment of the state into the first petty Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1091). Such a disjuncture was to severely weaken Islamic military strength in Spain and many of the Taifa 'Kings' were forced to pay (literally) extortionate sums of money in tribute to the Christian Kingdoms to the North draining them of not only wealth but diminishing the ability of these small states to pay the costs of their own defence.

The Christian forces were drawn not just from King Alfonso VI of Leon-Castile vassals and general levy but a force of Mercenaries were gathered under Alvar Fanez who was recalled from Valencia along with many individual knights from parts of Christendom but mainly from Italy and France.

King Alfonso VI of Leon-Castile's capture of the Muslim city of Toledo sparked a degree of panic among the Taifa Kingdoms sufficient enough to instigate a series of appeals for military assistance to the Berber tribes of North Africa; The Almoravid Empire. The Almorivid leader, Yusuf ibn Tashufin (Arabic: يوسف بن تاشفين ناصر الدين بن تالاكاكين الصنهاجي)‎) headed the call and moved his army from Algeciras to the port of Badajoz in Castile where Yusef's ranks were swollen by al Mu'tamid and contingents from Grenada, Seville and Malaga.

As is the norm the numbers involved are speculative; medieval historians being notorious for exaggerating numbers when referencing battles. A possible acceptable estimate would be to say that the Muslim army probably outnumbered the Christian forces. Though there are no precise numbers of men involved in the fighting it is probable the Muslim host contained approximately 7,000 horsemen and a large number of infantry (Christians and the Moors in Spain) and the Christian force smaller than that of their enemy. I am going to put the numbers of Christian Knights and Lesser Knights (Caballeros Villanos) at about 5000 to 6000 with a number of infantry of varying quality.

Alfonso VI, initially besieging the City of Saragossa, on hearing of the congregation of the Muslim forces at Badajoz abandoned the siege, declared a 'fossata' (matching the meaning of the French word 'chevauchee': 'ride'), summoned more of his vassals enhancing his forces already at hand from Leon and Castile with the addition of men mercenaries commanded by Alvar Fanez with his additional some troops from Italy and France.

After a year of small scale raids and much preparation the two armies were to meet at Sagrajas on the 20th of October 1086.

Battle of Sagrajas 1086: The Battle:

The Christian camp was located north of the River Genorva (a tributary of the River Guadiana) whilst the Muslim armies camp was located next to the confluence of the River Guardiana.

For three days the two sides sat, watching one another warily across the River Guadiana, each observing the tactical and military capabilities of their enemies whilst heralds from both camps negotiated. The negotiations are likely to have been more of an attempt to calculate the military strength and capabilities of their opponents than to have been a serious attempt to negotiate a peace.  Finally prior to dawn on Friday 23rd of October, being a Muslim Sabbath day, probably hoping to take Yuseh ibn Tashufin's army by surprise the Christian host moved over the River Guadiana and attacked with the knights to the fore, lighter cavalry in the rear followed in turn by the infantry.

The Christian Heavy Cavalry force lead by Alvar Fanez were the first to strike the Muslim lines hitting the Taifa/Andalusian cavalry force, put to the fore by Yusuf ibn Tashufin who seemingly had little confidence with the native Muslim troops of the Tiafa kingdoms of Southern Spain. His was assumption seemed to be justified as after a brief fight, the Taifa Cavalry was put to flight heading south towards Yusuf ibn Tashufin main army and camp. It appears that Alvar Fanez's force caught up with the fleeing Andalusian Cavalry and another fight occurred to the fore of the Almoravid Camp where the Andalusians were again put to flight by the knights. As this was happening the Almoravid Infantry desperately form up to formed a battle line in front of their camp.

Meanwhile Alvar Fanez's force of knights were reinforced by a second wave of fresh knights under King Alfonso VI. Both contingents were to meet the Almorivid Infanry head on. The disciplined Almoravid medium/heavy cavalry sheltered in the Alcazaba hills on Yusuf ibn Tashufin left flank charged into the fray hitting King Alfonso VI's force in the flank. Part of the Christian force is driven back, a bloody fight ensuing  as the part of the Christian force is pushed back to their own camp. A total disaster for King Alfonso VI army!

In the frenzy of hand to hand fighting Alfonso VI was wounded whilst at the same time the Almoravid cavalry that head now reached the Christian camp attacked it but are repulsed by the infantry guarding Alfonso's encampment. The rest of the Christian army flees from the melee and is pursued by the Almoravid army. The pursuit however, was not followed up allowing for what was left of Alfonso VI's army to retire to Coria.

In my next post for Sagrajas I will be laying out my plans as to how I am going to re fight the battle. I will have to make some alterations, for example, I want to include some Christian infantry in support of Alfonso VI's mainly cavalry force. A sort of "what if?", if you like. On the other hand, details of the battle are so scarce that a "what if?" is more than appropriate!

Map Below (Taken from Erenow; Military History Site LINK):

"(a) Phase I: After three days of mutual observation by the two armies, the Christian forces, organized into two waves, launch an attack across the Guadiana River (1). Alvar Fanez’s Aragonese mercenaries strike al-Mu’tamid’s Moors in the first Muslim line (2). The Andalusians’ formations are broken, with the exception of the Sevillians under al-Mu’tamid himself, and flee towards the Muslim stronghold at Badajoz (3). (b) Phase II: Fanez and his Aragonese cavalry set off in pursuit of the Moors fleeing towards Badajoz (1). King Alfonso orders his larger Spanish contingent to charge the Almoravid line beyond the protective ditch (2). As the Muslim line gives way (3) and Alfonso presses on to the Berber camp (4), Yusuf orders his reserves into action using drum signals. Abu Bakr leads a division of Moroccans into action to assist al-Mu’tamid (5), while Yusuf sweeps past the Christians’ unprotected flank to fall on Alfonso’s camp (6). (c) Phase III: Learning of the attack on his camp, Alfonso hastily confers with his subordinate commanders and orders a return to the Christian camp (1). The Spanish forces suffer heavy casualties fighting their way back (2) but succeed in reaching their camp where they form a new line (3). As Alfonso organizes his surviving knights into a defensive line, Fanez returns from his pursuit (4), only to abandon the king after quickly assessing the grim situation (5). (d) Phase IV: Emboldened by the defection of Fanez’s mercenaries, the now reinforced Moorish forces from the first line launch a counter-attack (1). The Muslim forces are soon joined by some of the Andalusians that had earlier fled towards Badajoz in an apparent karr-wa-farr (2). The situation grows increasingly desperate for Alfonso. As night approaches, Yusuf spots a gap in the Spanish line (3) and orders in his elite ‘Black Guard’ (4). Alfonso is wounded, but the king’s bodyguard rallies and carries him out of the fray to the safety of a nearby hill (5). The Muslim forces sack the Christian camp as the king and some 500 survivors manage to escape the scene of their defeat under cover of darkness.With the majority of the Moorish line routing, King Alfonso ordered the second, larger Spanish force into action (Map 3.9(b)). These better-armed and more heavily armoured Christian cavalry pushed through the remnants of the first Muslim formation and hit the second Almoravid line, smashing the Berber front, then crossed the ditch to strike the Berber camp beyond. At this moment, Yusuf ordered most of his reserves into the fray, orchestrated by drumbeats. A division of Moroccan tribesmen under the command of Yusuf’s lieutenant Abu Bakr reinforced al-Mu’tamid, while Yusuf himself swept around the Christian flank and fell on Alfonso’s camp. When the king of Castile-Leon learned of this attack on his rear, he held a hasty war council and decided to remove himself from his precarious position (Map 3.9(c)). Despite heavy casualties, the Spanish knights fought their way back to their camp and formed a new line."