silver 2039
Dec 06, 2004, 06:18 AM
The Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa
In the year 711 AD a Muslim people known as the Moors crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and in five years after the Battle of Guadlete had conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula. The Visigoths who formerly inhabited the area were driven north into the mountains of Asturias. The Reconquest by the Visigoths and their descendants to retake the lost territories began in 718 AD but it would be 700 years before it ended. Perhaps the most important event during the Reconquest was The Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa.
The Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa took place northeast of Cordoba and Jaen on Monday July 16, 1212 AD. The battle occurred as a result of the Crusade called for by Pope Innocent III against the so-called Muslim “infidel”. The armies of Castile led by Alfonso VIII, Navarre led by Sancho VII, Aragon led by Peter II, and Portugal led by Alfonso II united in a massive battle against the Moorish armies led by Muhammad al-Nasir. The Christian Coalition as it was called was also joined by French and Italian knights responding to the Pope’s call for Crusade. The outcome of the battle would decide the fate of Southern Iberia.
The Christian armies massed at Toledo and then set off south. Their expedition got off to a bad start with most of the foreign Crusaders deserting, unable to stand the heat and disease. Undaunted the Iberian armies continued their journey finally arriving at Las Navas de Tolsa on Friday July 13 1212 AD. On Saturday and Sunday only small skirmishes took place between the Christians and Moors. But on Monday July 16 the Christian armies launched a large-scale attack.
The Castilian forces were flanked on the right by Navarrese troops and on the left by Aragonese troops. At first the Moors were driven back but once the bulk of the Moorish army entered the battle it looked as if the Christians would be defeated. It was then the Castilians led by Alfonso VIII and together with the armies of Aragon and Navarre advanced. The combined offensive was the decisive event of the battle. The attack even managed to reach the headquarter tent where the Moorish leader was. The Moorish retreat turned into a rout and their leader Muhammad al-Nasir fled to Jaen that night.
Here is an excerpt from the account of the battle: “ Then the Christian arose after midnight, the hour at which Christ, whom they worshipped, rose up victorious over death. After hearing the solemnities of masses, and being renewed by the life-giving sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our God, they fortified themselves with the sign of the cross. They quickly took up their weapons of war, and with joy rushed to the battle as if they were invited to a feast. Neither the broken and stony places, nor the hollowness of the valleys nor the steep mountains held them back. They advanced on the enemy prepared to die or to conquer”
As a result of the Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa Moorish power in southern Iberia was shattered and they would never again dominate Iberia as they once had. In the ensuing 40 years the Christians conquered much of the formerly Moorish area.
The Kingdom of Castile gained much of the area and would go on to become the dominant power in Iberia, absorbing Aragon then later the last Moorish Kingdom of Granada in 1492. Later Navarre would be conquered as well uniting all of Modern Spain.
As for the Moors with the loss of Granada they disappeared into the sands of Africa the once powerful empire, which had spanned all across North Africa and into Iberia and the Middle East gone. But their impact on the culture and history of Iberia remains, a testament to time.
Sources:
www.wikipedia.com
www.deremilitari.org
www.colleage.hmco.com
In the year 711 AD a Muslim people known as the Moors crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and in five years after the Battle of Guadlete had conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula. The Visigoths who formerly inhabited the area were driven north into the mountains of Asturias. The Reconquest by the Visigoths and their descendants to retake the lost territories began in 718 AD but it would be 700 years before it ended. Perhaps the most important event during the Reconquest was The Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa.
The Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa took place northeast of Cordoba and Jaen on Monday July 16, 1212 AD. The battle occurred as a result of the Crusade called for by Pope Innocent III against the so-called Muslim “infidel”. The armies of Castile led by Alfonso VIII, Navarre led by Sancho VII, Aragon led by Peter II, and Portugal led by Alfonso II united in a massive battle against the Moorish armies led by Muhammad al-Nasir. The Christian Coalition as it was called was also joined by French and Italian knights responding to the Pope’s call for Crusade. The outcome of the battle would decide the fate of Southern Iberia.
The Christian armies massed at Toledo and then set off south. Their expedition got off to a bad start with most of the foreign Crusaders deserting, unable to stand the heat and disease. Undaunted the Iberian armies continued their journey finally arriving at Las Navas de Tolsa on Friday July 13 1212 AD. On Saturday and Sunday only small skirmishes took place between the Christians and Moors. But on Monday July 16 the Christian armies launched a large-scale attack.
The Castilian forces were flanked on the right by Navarrese troops and on the left by Aragonese troops. At first the Moors were driven back but once the bulk of the Moorish army entered the battle it looked as if the Christians would be defeated. It was then the Castilians led by Alfonso VIII and together with the armies of Aragon and Navarre advanced. The combined offensive was the decisive event of the battle. The attack even managed to reach the headquarter tent where the Moorish leader was. The Moorish retreat turned into a rout and their leader Muhammad al-Nasir fled to Jaen that night.
Here is an excerpt from the account of the battle: “ Then the Christian arose after midnight, the hour at which Christ, whom they worshipped, rose up victorious over death. After hearing the solemnities of masses, and being renewed by the life-giving sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, our God, they fortified themselves with the sign of the cross. They quickly took up their weapons of war, and with joy rushed to the battle as if they were invited to a feast. Neither the broken and stony places, nor the hollowness of the valleys nor the steep mountains held them back. They advanced on the enemy prepared to die or to conquer”
As a result of the Battle of Las Navas de Tolsa Moorish power in southern Iberia was shattered and they would never again dominate Iberia as they once had. In the ensuing 40 years the Christians conquered much of the formerly Moorish area.
The Kingdom of Castile gained much of the area and would go on to become the dominant power in Iberia, absorbing Aragon then later the last Moorish Kingdom of Granada in 1492. Later Navarre would be conquered as well uniting all of Modern Spain.
As for the Moors with the loss of Granada they disappeared into the sands of Africa the once powerful empire, which had spanned all across North Africa and into Iberia and the Middle East gone. But their impact on the culture and history of Iberia remains, a testament to time.
Sources:
www.wikipedia.com
www.deremilitari.org
www.colleage.hmco.com