Talk:Battle of Alarcos

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How in the hell did the "Turkish cavalry archers" end up in Spain in 1195??? There must be a mistake, Turkish chronicles dont give an account of Turks in Spain in 1195.

The Agzaz were Turkish mercenary archers from the Asian Steppes who worked for the various Middle East nations at that time. In the late 12th century the caliph of Egypt sent an Agzaz army to the Almohad held Tunis but they were defeated and captured. Then, the Almohads gave them the election to serve them as mercenaries, or be executed. Obviously, the Turks chose to serve the Almohads, and they were sent to the Iberian Peninsula in order to cut them from any possible contact with Egyptian agents in the eastern Maghreb. Many of this Agzaz were killed later at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212). My source is Batallas decisivas de la Historia de España, Juan Carlos Losada, 2005.--Menah the Great 12:10, 22 February 2007 (UTC)