Battle of az-Zallaqah

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Battle of az-Zallaqah
Part of the Spanish Reconquista
Date October 23, 1086 Location North of Badajoz Result Decisive Almoravid victory
Combatants
Castile	Almoravids
Commanders
Alfonso VI	Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Strength
About 60,000	About 30,000
Casualties
59,500 dead	Unknown

Reconquista
Covadonga – Roncevaux Pass – Simancas – Atapuerca – Graus – Az-Zallaqah – Ucles – Ourique – Lisbon – Alarcos – Las Navas de Tolosa – Jerez – Granada

The Battle of az-Zallaqah الزلاقة (October 23, 1086) was a battle between the Almoravid Yusuf ibn Tashfin and Castilian King Alfonso VI.

Yusuf ibn Tashfin replied to the call of three Andalusian leaders (Abbad III al-Mu'tamid and others) and crossed to Andalusia with 7,000 warriors from Almoravids. He marched with his army to the north of al-Andalus till he reached az-Zallaqah. The army of Almoravids accumulated warriors from every place in al-Andalus and his army reached 30,000 warriors.

Alfonso VI of Castile reached the battle ground with 60,000 warriors. The two leaders exchanged messages before the battle. Yusuf ibn Tashfin offered three choices to the enemy: convert to Islam, to pay tribute (jizyah), or battle.

Alfonso VI chose to fight against the Almoravids. The battle started at Friday at dawn by attack from Alfonso VI. Yusuf Ibn Tashfin divided his army into 3 divisions. The first division was led by Abbad III al-Mu'tamid and consist of 15,000 warriors, the second division consist of 11,000 warriors lead by Yusuf ibn Tashfin and the third division were 4,000 black African warriors with Indian swords and long javelins. Abbad III al-Mu'tamid and his division battled with Alfonso VI alone till the after noon, then Yusuf ibn Tashfin and his division joined the battle and circled Alfonso VI and his troops. Alfonso's troops panicked and started to lose ground, then Yusuf ordered the third division of his army to attack and finish the battle.

The casualties of Alfonso's troops were tremendous (more than 59,500 dead). Only 100 knights made it back to Castile. Alfonso VI survived the battle but he lost his leg.

The battleground was called az-Zallaqah (in English slippery ground) because the warriors were slipping all over the battle ground because of the tremendous amount of blood shed this day. Christian sources know it as battle of Sagrajas.

Despite contemporary accounts, which usually vastly overrate the numbers involved, the Castilian army numbered about 14,000 men, including some 2,000 mounted knights; at least half the army was lost. The wounded King and most of the noblemen survived, although several were killed, including counts Rodrigo Muñoz and Vela Oveguez.

Casualties were also heavy on the Almoravid side, specially for the hosts led by Dawud ibn Aysa, whose camp was even sacked in the first hours of battle, and by the governor of Badajoz, al-Mutawakkil ibn al-Aftas. The Sevilla governor al-Mu'tamid had been wounded in the first clash but his personal example of valour rallied the al-Andalus forces in the difficult moments of the initial Castilian charge led by Alvar Fañez. Those killed included a very popular imam from Cordoba, Abu-l-Abbas Ahmad ibn Rumayla. Yusuf is said to have been disheartened by the carnage, in addition he had to return prematurely to Africa due to the death of his heir, so Castile did not lose much territory despite the destruction of most of his field army.